This annotation considers the place of extra-articular
reconstruction in the treatment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
deficiency. Extra-articular reconstruction has been employed over
the last century to address ACL deficiency. However, the technique
has not gained favour, primarily due to residual instability and
the subsequent development of degenerative changes in the lateral
compartment of the knee. Thus intra-articular reconstruction has
become the technique of choice. However, intra-articular reconstruction
does not restore normal knee kinematics. Some authors have recommended
extra-articular reconstruction in conjunction with an intra-articular
technique. The anatomy and biomechanics of the anterolateral structures
of the knee remain largely undetermined. Further studies to establish
the structure and function of the anterolateral structures may lead
to more anatomical extra-articular reconstruction techniques that
supplement intra-articular reconstruction. This might reduce residual
pivot shift after an intra-articular reconstruction and thus improve
the post-operative kinematics of the knee.
The advent of computer-assisted knee replacement surgery has focused interest on the alignment of the components. However, there is confusion at times between the alignment of the limb as a whole and that of the components. The interaction between them is discussed in this article. Alignment is expressed relative to some reference axis or plane and measurements will vary depending on what is selected as the reference. The validity of different reference axes is discussed. Varying prosthetic alignment has direct implications for surrounding soft-tissue tension. In this context the interaction between alignment and soft-tissue balance is explored and the current knowledge of the relationship between alignment and outcome is summarised.
We report on the long-term results of 163 bicruciate-retaining
Hermes 2C total knee replacements in 130 patients at a mean follow-up
of 22.4 years (20.3 to 23.5). Even when the anterior cruciate ligament
had a partially degenerative appearance it was preserved as long
as the knee had a normal anterior drawer and Lachman’s test pre-operatively. The
description and surgical technique of this minimally constrained
prosthesis were published in 1983 and the ten-year clinical results
in 1999. A total of 12% of the knees (20 of 163) in this study were revised
because of wear of the polyethylene tibial insert. Excellent stability
was achieved and the incidence of aseptic component loosening was
4.3% (seven of 163). The survival rate using revision for any reason
as the endpoint was 82% (95% confidence interval 76.2 to 88.0). Although this series included a relatively small number of replacements,
it demonstrated that the anterior cruciate ligament, even when partially
degenerated at the time of TKR, remained functional and provided
adequate stability at a long-term follow-up. Cite this article:
Stems may improve fixation and stability of components
during revision total knee replacement. However, the choice between
cemented and cementless stems is not a clear one. Cemented stems
offer several advantages in terms of versatility, mechanical stability, surgical
technique and clinical outcome over their cementless counterpart. Cite this article:
Over a 15-year prospective period, 201 infants
with a clinically unstable hip at neonatal screening were subsequently
reviewed in a ‘one stop’ clinic where they were assessed clinically
and sonographically. Their mean age was 1.62 weeks (95% confidence
interval (CI) 1.35 to 1.89). Clinical neonatal hip screening revealed
a sensitivity of 62% (mean, 62.6 95%CI 50.9 to 74.3), specificity
of 99.8% (mean, 99.8, 95% CI 99.7 to 99.8) and positive predictive value
(PPV) of 24% (mean, 26.2, 95% CI 19.3 to 33.0). Static and dynamic
sonography for Graf type IV dysplastic hips had a 15-year sensitivity
of 77% (mean, 75.8 95% CI 66.9 to 84.6), specificity of 99.8% (mean,
99.8, 95% CI 99.8 to 99.8) and a PPV of 49% (mean, 55.1, 95% CI
41.6 to 68.5). There were 36 infants with an irreducible dislocation
of the hip (0.57 per 1000 live births), including six that failed
to resolve with neonatal splintage. Most clinically unstable hips referred to a specialist clinic
are female and stabilise spontaneously. Most irreducible dislocations
are not identified from this neonatal instability group. There may
be a small subgroup of females with instability of the hip which
may be at risk of progression to irreducibility despite early treatment
in a Pavlik harness. A controlled study is required to assess the value of neonatal
clinical screening programmes. Cite this article:
We undertook this study to determine the minimum
amount of coronoid necessary to stabilise an otherwise intact elbow
joint. Regan–Morrey types II and III, plus medial and lateral oblique
coronoid fractures, collectively termed type IV fractures, were
simulated in nine fresh cadavers. An electromagnetic tracking system
defined the three-dimensional stability of the ulna relative to
the humerus. The coronoid surface area accounts for 59% of the anterior articulation.
Alteration in valgus, internal and external rotation occurred only
with a type III coronoid fracture, accounting for 68% of the coronoid
and 40% of the entire articular surface. A type II fracture removed
42% of the coronoid articulation and 25% of the entire articular
surface but was associated with valgus and external rotational changes
only when the radial head was removed, thereby removing 67% of the
articular surface. We conclude that all type III fractures, as defined here, are
unstable, even with intact ligaments and a radial head. However,
a type II deficiency is stable unless the radial head is removed.
Our study suggests that isolated medial-oblique or lateral-oblique
fractures, and even a type II fracture with intact ligaments and
a functional radial head, can be clinically stable, which is consistent
with clinical observation.
A displaced fracture of the scaphoid is one in
which the fragments have moved from their anatomical position or there
is movement between them when stressed by physiological loads. Displacement
is seen in about 20% of fractures of the waist of the scaphoid,
as shown by translation, a gap, angulation or rotation. A CT scan
in the true longitudinal axis of the scaphoid demonstrates the shape
of the bone and displacement of the fracture more accurately than
do plain radiographs. Displaced fractures can be treated in a plaster
cast, accepting the risk of malunion and nonunion. Surgically the
displacement can be reduced, checked radiologically, arthroscopically
or visually, and stabilised with headless screws or wires. However,
rates of union and deformity are unknown. Mild malunion is well
tolerated, but the long-term outcome of a displaced fracture that
healed in malalignment has not been established. This paper summarises aspects of the assessment, treatment and
outcome of displaced fractures of the waist of the scaphoid.
The clinical diagnosis of a partial tear of the
anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is still subject to debate. Little
is known about the contribution of each ACL bundle during the Lachman
test. We investigated this using six fresh-frozen cadaveric lower
limbs. Screws were placed in the femora and tibiae as fixed landmarks
for digitisation of the bone positions. The femur was secured horizontally
in a clamp. A metal hook was screwed to the tibial tubercle and
used to apply a load of 150 N directed anteroposteriorly to the
tibia to simulate the Lachman test. The knees then received constant
axial compression and 3D knee kinematic data were collected by digitising
the screw head positions in 30° flexion under each test condition.
Measurements of tibial translation and rotation were made, first with
the ACL intact, then after sequential cutting of the ACL bundles,
and finally after complete division of the ACL. Two-way analysis
of variance analysis was performed. During the Lachman test, in all knees and in all test conditions,
lateral tibial translation exceeded that on the medial side. With
an intact ACL, both anterior and lateral tibial landmarks translated
significantly more than those on the medial side (p <
0.001).
With sequential division of the ACL bundles, selective cutting of
the posterolateral bundle (PLB) did not increase translation of
any landmark compared with when the ACL remained intact. Cutting the
anteromedial bundle (AMB) resulted in an increased anterior translation
of all landmarks. Compared to the intact ACL, when the ACL was fully
transected a significant increase in anterior translation of all
landmarks occurred (p <
0.001). However, anterior tibial translation
was almost identical after AMB or complete ACL division. We found that the AMB confers its most significant contribution
to tibial translation during the Lachman test, whereas the PLB has
a negligible effect on anterior translation. Section of the PLB
had a greater effect on increasing the internal rotation of the
tibia than the AMB. However, its contribution of a mean of 2.8°
amplitude remains low. The clinical relevance of our investigation
suggests that, based on anterior tibial translation only, one cannot distinguish
between a full ACL and an isolated AMB tear. Isolated PLB tears
cannot be detected solely by the Lachman test, as this bundle probably
contributes more resistance to the pivot shift.
An increased tibial tubercle–trochlear groove
(TT-TG) distance is related to patellar maltracking and instability.
Tibial tubercle transfer is a common treatment option for these
patients with good short-term results, although the results can
deteriorate over time owing to the progression of osteoarthritis.
We present a ten-year follow-up study of a self-centring tibial
tubercle osteotomy in 60 knees, 30 with maltracking and 30 with
patellar instability. Inclusion criteria were a TT-TG ≥ 15 mm and
symptoms for >
one year. One patient (one knee) was lost to follow-up
and one required total knee arthroplasty because of progressive
osteoarthritis. Further patellar dislocations occurred in three
knees, all in the instability group, one of which required further
surgery. The mean visual analogue scores for pain, and Lysholm and
Kujala scores improved significantly and were maintained at the
final follow-up (repeated measures, p = 0.000, intergroup differences
p = 0.449). Signs of maltracking were found in only a minority of
patients, with no difference between groups (p >
0.05). An increase
in patellofemoral osteoarthritis was seen in 16 knees (31%) with
a maximum of grade 2 on the Kellgren–Lawrence scale. The mean increase
in grades was 0.31 (0 to 2) and 0.41 (0 to 2) in the maltracking
and instability groups respectively (p = 0.2285) This self-centring tibial tubercle osteotomy provides good results
at ten years’ follow-up without inducing progressive osteoarthritis. Cite this article:
In this Cite this article:
Noise generation has been reported with ceramic-on-ceramic
articulations in total hip replacement (THR). This study evaluated
208 consecutive Delta Motion THRs at a mean follow-up of 21 months
(12 to 35). There were 141 women and 67 men with a mean age of 59
years (22 to 84). Patients were reviewed clinically and radiologically,
and the incidence of noise was determined using a newly described
assessment method. Noise production was examined against range of
movement, ligamentous laxity, patient-reported outcome scores, activity
level and orientation of the acetabular component. There were 143
silent hips (69%), 22 (11%) with noises other than squeaking, 17
(8%) with unreproducible squeaking and 26 (13%) with reproducible
squeaking. Hips with reproducible squeaking had a greater mean range
of movement (p <
0.001) and mean ligament laxity (p = 0.004), smaller
median head size (p = 0.01) and decreased mean acetabular component
inclination (p = 0.02) and anteversion angle (p = 0.02) compared
with the other groups. There was no relationship between squeaking
and age (p = 0.13), height (p = 0.263), weight (p = 0.333), body
mass index (p = 0.643), gender (p = 0.07) or patient outcome score
(p = 0.422). There were no revisions during follow-up. Despite the
surprisingly high incidence of squeaking, all patients remain satisfied
with their hip replacement. Cite this article:
There is little evidence examining the relationship between anatomical landmarks, radiological placement of the tunnels and long-term clinical outcomes following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The aim of this study was to investigate the reproducibility of intra-operative landmarks for placement of the tunnels in single-bundle reconstruction of the ACL using four-strand hamstring tendon autografts. Isolated reconstruction of the ACL was performed in 200 patients, who were followed prospectively for seven years with use of the International Knee Documentation Committee forms and radiographs. Taking 0% as the anterior and 100% as the posterior extent, the femoral tunnel was a mean of 86% ( The use of intra-operative landmarks resulted in reproducible placement of the tunnels and an excellent clinical outcome seven years after operation. Vertical inclination was associated with increased rotational instability and degenerative radiological changes, while rupture of the graft was associated with posterior placement of the tibial tunnel. If the osseous tunnels are correctly placed, single-bundle reconstruction of the ACL adequately controls both anteroposterior and rotational instability.
The aim of this prospective multicentre study
was to report the patient satisfaction after total knee replacement (TKR),
undertaken with the aid of intra-operative sensors, and to compare
these results with previous studies. A total of 135 patients undergoing
TKR were included in the study. The soft-tissue balance of each
TKR was quantified intra-operatively by the sensor, and 18 (13%)
were found to be unbalanced. A total of 113 patients (96.7%) in
the balanced group and 15 (82.1%) in the unbalanced group were satisfied
or very satisfied one year post-operatively (p = 0.043). A review of the literature identified no previous study with
a mean level of satisfaction that was greater than the reported
level of satisfaction of the balanced TKR group in this study. Ensuring
soft-tissue balance by using intra-operative sensors during TKR
may improve satisfaction. Cite this article:
We investigated the role of a functional brace worn for four months in the treatment of patients with an acute isolated tear of the posterior cruciate ligament to determine whether reduction of the posterior tibial translation during the healing period would give an improved final position of the tibia. The initial and follow-up stability was tested by Rolimeter arthrometry and radiography. The clinical outcome was evaluated using the Lysholm score, the Tegner score and the International Knee Documentation Committee scoring system at follow-up at one and two years. In all, 21 patients were studied, 21 of whom had completed one-year and 17 a two-year follow-up. The initial mean posterior sag (Rolimeter measurement) of 7.1 mm (5 to 10) was significantly reduced after 12 months to a mean of 2.3 mm (0 to 6, p <
0.001) and to a mean of 3.2 mm (2 to 7, p = 0.001) after 24 months. Radiological measurement gave similar results. The mean pre-injury Lysholm score was normal at 98 (95 to 100). At follow-up, a slight decrease in the mean values was observed to 94.0 (79 to 100, p = 0.001) at one year and 94.0 (88 to 100, p = 0.027, at two years). We concluded that the posterior cruciate ligament has an intrinsic healing capacity and, if the posteriorly translated tibia is reduced to a physiological position, it can heal with less attentuation. The applied treatment produces a good to excellent functional result.
Posterolateral rotatory instability is the most common type of symptomatic chronic instability of the elbow. In this condition the forearm complex rotates externally in relation to the humerus, causing posterior subluxation or dislocation of the radial head. The lateral ligament complex, radial head and coronoid process are important constraints to posterolateral rotatory instability, and their disruption is involved in the pathogenesis of this condition. The diagnosis relies on a high index of clinical suspicion, active and passive apprehension tests, and examination under anaesthesia. Surgical treatment has given consistently successful results. Open reconstruction of the lateral ligaments with a tendon graft has been the procedure of choice, with arthroscopic techniques emerging as a potential alternative.
We describe the mid-term results of a prospective study of total knee replacement in severe valgus knees using an osteotomy of the lateral femoral condyle and computer navigation. There were 15 knees with a mean valgus deformity of 21° (17° to 27°) and a mean follow-up of 28 months (24 to 60). A cemented, non-constrained fixed bearing, posterior-cruciate-retaining knee prosthesis of the same design was used in all cases (Columbus-B. Braun; Aesculap, Tuttlingen, Germany). All the knees were corrected to a mean of 0.5° of valgus (0° to 2°). Flexion of the knee had been limited to a mean of 85° (75° to 110°) pre-operatively and improved to a mean of 105° (90° to 130°) after operation. The mean Knee Society score improved from 37 (30 to 44) to 90 points (86 to 94). Osteotomy of the lateral femoral condyle combined with computer-assisted surgery gave an excellent mid-term outcome in patients undergoing total knee replacement in the presence of severe valgus deformity.
We prospectively evaluated 61 patients treated arthroscopically for anterior instability of the shoulder at a mean follow-up of 44.5 months (24 to 100) using the Rowe scale. Those with post-operative dislocation or subluxation were considered to be failures. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify patients at increased risk of recurrence in order to develop a suitable selection system. The mean Rowe score improved from 45 pre-operatively to 86 at follow-up (p <
0.001). At least one episode of post-operative instability occurred in 11 patients (18%), although their stability improved (p = 0.018), and only three required revision. Subjectively, eight patients were dissatisfied. Age younger than 28 years, ligamentous laxity, the presence of a fracture of the glenoid rim involving more than 15% of the articular surface, and post-operative participation in contact or overhead sports were associated with a higher risk of recurrence, and scored 1, 1, 5 and 1 point, respectively. Those patients with a total score of two or more points had a relative risk of recurrence of 43% and should be treated by open surgery.
Medium-term results of the Discovery elbow replacement
are presented. We reviewed 51 consecutive primary Discovery total
elbow replacements (TERs) implanted in 48 patients. The mean age
of the patients was 69.2 years (49 to 92), there were 19 males and
32 females (37%:63%) The mean follow-up was 40.6 months (24 to 69).
A total of six patients were lost to follow-up. Statistically significant
improvements in range movement and Oxford Elbow Score were found
(p <
0.001). Radiolucent lines were much more common in, and
aseptic loosening was exclusive to, the humeral component. Kaplan–Meier
survivorship at five years was 92.2% (95% CI 74.5% to 96.4%) for
aseptic loosening. In four TERs, periprosthetic infection occurred
resulting in failure. A statistically significant association between
infection and increased BMI was found (p = 0.0268). Triceps failure
was more frequent after the Mayo surgical approach and TER performed
after previous trauma surgery. No failures of the implant were noted. Our comparison shows that the Discovery has early clinical results
that are similar to other semi-constrained TERs. We found continued
radiological surveillance with particular focus on humeral lucency
is warranted and has not previously been reported. Despite advances
in the design of total elbow replacement prostheses, rates of complication
remain high. Cite this article:
The June 2014 Hip &
Pelvis Roundup360 looks at: Modular femoral necks: early signs are not good; is corrosion to blame for modular neck failures; metal-on-metal is not quite a closed book; no excess failures in fixation of displaced femoral neck fractures; noise no problem in hip replacement; heterotopic ossification after hip arthroscopy: are NSAIDs the answer?; thrombotic and bleeding events surprisingly low in total joint replacement; and the elephant in the room: complications and surgical volume.
We retrospectively reviewed the records of 1150
computer-assisted total knee replacements and analysed the clinical
and radiological outcomes of 45 knees that had arthritis with a
pre-operative recurvatum deformity. The mean pre-operative hyperextension
deformity of 11° (6° to 15°), as measured by navigation at the start
of the operation, improved to a mean flexion deformity of 3.1° (0°
to 7°) post-operatively. A total of 41 knees (91%) were managed
using inserts ≤ 12.5 mm thick, and none had mediolateral laxity
>
2 mm from a mechanical axis of 0° at the end of the surgery. At
a mean follow-up of 26.4 months (13 to 48) there was significant
improvement in the mean Knee Society, Oxford knee and Western Ontario
and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores compared with
the pre-operative values. The mean knee flexion improved from 105°
(80° to 125°) pre-operatively to 131° (120° to 145°), and none of
the limbs had recurrent recurvatum. These early results show that total knee replacement using computer
navigation and an algorithmic approach for arthritic knees with
a recurvatum deformity can give excellent radiological and functional
outcomes without recurrent deformity.