We have reviewed 22 patients from a total of 135 treated by autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) who had undergone further surgery for pain in the knee and mechanical symptoms after a mean of 10.5 months. There were 31 grafted lesions. At operation the findings included lifting (24/31) and detachment (3/31) of periosteal patches for which arthroscopic shaving was performed. Chondroplasty was undertaken on two new lesions, another required an ACI and a further patient required trimming of a meniscus. The mechanical symptoms resolved within two weeks. At the last review, two to 14 months from reoperation; 68% had improved, and 86% had normal or nearly normal IKDC scores. Of the 31 lesions, 30 (97%) had normal or nearly normal visual repair scores. Biopsy showed good integration with subchondral bone and the marginal interface in all specimens, most of which showed hyaline or hyaline-like cartilage (70%). Troublesome mechanical symptoms required surgery in 13% of ACI-treated patients and were attributed to periosteal extrusion. Simple arthroscopic debridement was curative

A vascular necrosis (AVN) of the head of the femur is a potentially crippling disease which mainly affects young adults. Although treatment by exposure to hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) is reported as being beneficial, there has been no study of its use in treated compared with untreated patients. We selected 12 patients who suffered from Steinberg stage-I AVN of the head of the femur (four bilateral) whose lesions were 4 mm or more thick and/or 12.5 mm or more long on MRI. Daily HBO therapy was given for 100 days to each patient. All smaller stage-I lesions and more advanced stages of AVN were excluded. These size criteria were chosen in order to compare outcomes with an identical size of lesion in an untreated group described earlier. Overall, 81% of patients who received HBO therapy showed a return to normal on MRI as compared with 17% in the untreated group. We therefore conclude that hyperbaric oxygen is effective in the treatment of stage-I AVN of the head of the femur

An unusual form of chronic osteomyelitis in children is described. Three children presented with clinical signs of acute infection and radiographs revealed a pre-existing destructive bone lesion. Exploration of the lesions did not release pus, and cultures for pathogens were negative. The lesions healed but the symptoms returned intermittently over many years with the development of sclerosis and disturbance of bone growth. The lesions did not respond to antibiotics or operative treatment. All the patients were fully investigated and although the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was increased the white blood count was seldom abnormal. There were no neurological abnormalities. Two of the three cases required an osteotomy to correct malalignment. A comparison is made between the findings in these three patients with similar cases reported recently and possible causes are discussed

We have reviewed five adult patients treated with endoprosthetic reconstruction of the proximal radius following resection of non-traumatic lesions. The patients had a mean age of 33.4 years (20 to 60) at the time of surgery and the mean follow-up was 7.6 years (0.8 to 16). Following surgery, all elbows were clinically stable and there was 100% survivorship of the prosthesis. Evaluation of function was assessed clinically and by the Mayo Elbow Performance Score, achieving a mean of 86% (70 to 100). Results at medium-term follow-up are encouraging with regards to elbow stability, implant survivorship and functional outcome

Aims

This study aimed to investigate whether human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) can prevent articular cartilage degradation and explore the underlying mechanisms in a rat osteoarthritis (OA) model induced by monosodium iodoacetate (MIA).

Dislocations of the cervicothoracic junction are frequently missed. Experience of this rare injury over 27 years at the Spinal Injuries Unit in Sheffield confirms that nearly two-thirds were not properly diagnosed on admission. Only two of the 14 dislocations studied were reduced by conservative methods and these were both associated with fractures of the posterior bony elements. Open reduction is necessary to replace pure dislocations at the C7-T1 level. It seems likely that the spinal cord lesion is not influenced by reduction of the displacement. The three patients who had an incomplete lesion of the spinal cord made excellent neurological recoveries although none of the dislocations was reduced. It is concluded that on theoretical grounds it is justified to embark on operative reduction of displacements at this spinal level only if the cord lesion is incomplete, nerve root recovery therefore possible, and if the operation can be brought about soon after the injury

Ninety-seven patients suffering from painful arc syndrome of the shoulder were studied. Local anaesthetic and radiographic contrast investigations were carried out. One-third of the patients had lesions in the posterior part of the rotator cuff which resolved after injections of local anaesthetic and steroid. One-third had anterior lesions in the subscapularis tendon: almost all resolved under the same regime but two required division of the coraco-acromial ligament. The remaining third had lesions of the supraspinatus tendon, usually associated with degeneration of the acromio-clavicular joint: most of these failed to gain relief from the local anaesthetic and steroid. Twenty-two operations were performed either by a transcromial or by a deltoid splitting approach. Excision of the outer end of the clavicle and division of the coraco-acromial ligament abolished the pain in most cases

We carried out a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the evidence regarding the clinical results of the Ilizarov method in the treatment of long bone defects of the lower limbs. Only 37 reports (three non-randomised comparative studies, one prospective study and 33 case-series) met our inclusion criteria. Although several studies were unsatisfactory in terms of statistical heterogeneity, our analysis appears to show that the Ilizarov method of distraction osteogenesis significantly reduced the risk of deep infection in infected osseous lesions (risk ratio 0.14 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.10 to 0.20), p < 0.001). However, there was a rate of re-fracture of 5% (95% CI 3 to 7), with a rate of neurovascular complications of 2.2% (95% CI 0.3 to 4) and an amputation rate of 2.9% (95% CI 1.4 to 4.4).The data was generally not statistically heterogeneous. Where tibial defects were > 8 cm, the risk of re-fracture increased (odds ratio 3.7 (95% CI 1.1 to 12.5), p = 0.036). . The technique is demanding for patients, illustrated by the voluntary amputation rate of 1.6% (95% CI 0 to 3.1), which underlines the need for careful patient selection. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:1673–80

The high prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA), as well as the current lack of disease-modifying drugs for OA, has provided a rationale for regenerative medicine as a possible treatment modality for OA treatment. In this editorial, the current status of regenerative medicine in OA including stem cells, exosomes, and genes is summarized along with the author’s perspectives. Despite a tremendous interest, so far there is very little evidence proving the efficacy of this modality for clinical application. As symptomatic relief is not sufficient to justify the high cost associated with regenerative medicine, definitive structural improvement that would last for years or decades and obviate or delay the need for joint arthroplasty is essential for regenerative medicine to retain a place among OA treatment methods.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(2):134–136.

The December 2012 Knee Roundup. 360. looks at: the demand for knee replacement; a Japanese knee outcome score; smoking and TKR; coronal alignment as a determinant of outcome in TKR; fixed flexion; MRI detected knee lesions; and lateral domed Oxford unicompartmental knee replacements

A new dynamic classification of Paget's disease is proposed, incorporating both the radiographic phases of bone remodelling and the scintigraphic findings. Osteolytic, mixed and osteoblastic phases are associated with increased scintigraphic activity, while the osteosclerotic phase of remodelling is associated with normal or diminished activity and an osteoblastic radiographic appearance. Abnormal modelling of bone leading to deformity is produced by accelerated apposition or absorption at the periosteal and endosteal envelopes of the bone. In 112 patients with symptoms from Paget's disease, 527 lesions were classified. The most frequent remodelling phase was the mixed one and the most common modelling state was bone expansion with endosteal and periosteal apposition. Of 88 patients treated medically, 12 had lesions which progressed to increased bone formation without a change in modelling, and the active lesions in seven patients became inactive. Prolonged treatment with disodium etidronate led to progressive osteopenia in 11 patients

Ninety-five patients with steroid-induced avascular necrosis of bone have been personally treated by the author. Of these, eighteen had a lesion of the head of the humerus, on one or both sides. The conditions for which the steroids were given included post-transplantation, lupus erythematosus, glomerulonephritis and asthma. The characteristic lesion began as a subchondral osteolytic area which frequently progressed to collapse. The articular cartilage divided from the subchondral bone, either becoming detached as a free cap or at a later stage reattaching. In some cases the lesion was minimal and the symptoms were slight. Conservative treatment has consisted of pendulum exercises and avoidance of abduction, particularly against resistance. In fourteen patients this led to satisfactory function with only intermittent symptoms. Four patients required replacement of five humeral heads with Neer's prostheses. After one to seven years the results of all five were classified as excellent in terms of absence of symptoms and a free range of movement

1. Forty-eight cases of causalgia are reviewed and the clinical features are briefly described. 2. Multiple nerve injuries are common and the pain is often associated with all the injured nerves. In the upper limb there was always an incomplete lesion of the lower trunk or medial cord of the brachial plexus, or of the median nerve. In the lower limb there was always an incomplete lesion of the medial popliteal division of the sciatic, the medial popliteal, or the posterior tibial nerve. These nerves carry most of the sympathetic fibres to the hand and foot. With two exceptions all the nerve lesions were at or above the level of the knee or elbow. 3. Sympathectomy gives marked relief of pain in most cases of causalgia. Prompt treatment is essential to prevent the crippling deformities which follow prolonged voluntary immobilisation of the painful limb. The results of preganglionic are superior to those of postganglionic sympathectomy. 4. The possible pain pathways are discussed, and an explanation is offered for the successful results of sympathectomy in the treatment of causalgia

The operative treatment of lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in athletes has been widely advocated and performed. We have investigated the outcome of non-operative management in a lower-demand, general population. We reviewed a consecutive group of 228 patients, which excluded professional and high-level athletes, for two to 12 years after an ACL lesion had been diagnosed by arthroscopy. There was a low incidence of secondary ACL and meniscal surgery, 5.4% and 3.5% respectively, and all these procedures were performed during the first three years after the ACL injury. We studied a subgroup of 109 patients with follow-up of at least five years (mean 8.5 years) and evaluated them using the IKDC score. The general outcome was reasonably satisfactory, with 23% in grade A, 50% in grade B, 21% in grade C and only 6.4% in grade D. We found no statistically significant prognostic effect within this group as regards age, activity levels, or the incidence of associated lesions

The use of ultrasound-guided wire localisation of lesions is not well described in the orthopaedic literature. We describe a case of an impalpable schwannoma of the femoral nerve and another of sacroiliitis with an associated pelvic abscess. In both, surgical localisation was difficult. Peri-operative ultrasound-guided wire localisation was used to guide surgery and minimise tissue damage, thereby optimising the results and recovery of the patient

Aims

The aims of the study were to analyze differences in surgical and oncological outcomes, as well as quality of life (QoL) and function in patients with ankle sarcomas undergoing three forms of surgical treatment, minor or major limb salvage surgery (LSS), or amputation.

This paper describes the current views on the pathology of lesions of the tendon of the long head of biceps and their management. Their diagnosis is described and their surgical management classified, with details of the techniques employed