The April 2012 Research Roundup360 looks at who is capable of being an arthroscopist, bupivacaine, triamcinolone and chondrotoxicity, reducing scarring in injured skeletal muscle, horny Goat Weed and the repair of osseous defects, platelet-derived growth factor and fracture healing, the importance of the reserve zone in a child’s growth plate, coping with advanced arthritis, hydroxyapatite and platelet-rich plasma for bone defects, and calcium phosphate and bone regeneration
This review describes the development of arthroscopy of the hip over the past 15 years with reference to patient assessment and selection, the technique, the conditions for which it is likely to prove useful, the contraindications and complications related to the procedure and, finally, to discuss possible developments in the future.
The identification of the extent of neural damage
in patients with acute or chronic spinal cord injury is imperative for
the accurate prediction of neurological recovery. The changes in
signal intensity shown on routine MRI sequences are of limited value
for predicting functional outcome. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
is a novel radiological imaging technique which has the potential
to identify intact nerve fibre tracts, and has been used to image
the brain for a variety of conditions. DTI imaging of the spinal
cord is currently only a research tool, but preliminary studies
have shown that it holds considerable promise in predicting the
severity of spinal cord injury. This paper briefly reviews our current knowledge of this technique.
Femoroacetabular impingement is a cause of hip pain in adults and is potentially a precursor of osteoarthritis. Our aim in this study was to determine the prevalence of bilateral deformity in patients with symptomatic cam-type femoroacetabular impingement as well as the presence of associated acetabular abnormalities and hip pain. We included all patients aged 55 years or less seen by the senior author for hip pain, with at least one anteroposterior and lateral pelvic radiograph available. All patients with dysplasia and/or arthritis were excluded. A total of 113 patients with a symptomatic cam-impingement deformity of at least one hip was evaluated. There were 82 men and 31 women with a mean age of 37.9 years (16 to 55). Bilateral cam-type deformity was present in 88 patients (77.8%) while only 23 of those (26.1%) had bilateral hip pain. Painful hips had a statistically significant higher mean alpha angle than asymptomatic hips (69.9° vs 63.1°, p <
0.001). Hips with an alpha angle of more than 60° had an odds ratio of being painful of 2.59 (95% confidence interval 1.32 to 5.08, p = 0.006) compared with those with an alpha angle of less than 60°. Of the 201 hips with a cam-impingement deformity 42% (84) also had a pincer deformity. Most patients with cam-type femoroacetabular impingement had bilateral deformities and there was an associated acetabular deformity in 84 of 201 patients (42%). This information is important in order to define the natural history of these deformities, and to determine treatment.
This prospective study used magnetic resonance imaging to record sagittal plane tibiofemoral kinematics before and after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using autologous hamstring graft. Twenty patients with anterior cruciate ligament injuries, performed a closed-chain leg-press while relaxed and against a 150 N load. The tibiofemoral contact patterns between 0° to 90° of knee flexion were recorded by magnetic resonance scans. All measurements were performed pre-operatively and repeated at 12 weeks and two years. Following reconstruction there was a mean passive anterior laxity of 2.1 mm (
There have been very few reports in the literature of gout and pseudogout of the spine. We describe six patients who presented with acute sciatica attributable to spinal stenosis with cyst formation in the facet joints. Cytopathological studies confirmed the diagnosis of crystal arthropathy in each case. Specific formation of a synovial cyst was identified pre-operatively by MRI in five patients. In the sixth, the diagnosis was made incidentally during decompressive surgery. Surgical decompression alone was undertaken in four patients. In one with an associated degenerative spondylolisthesis, an additional intertransverse fusion was performed. Another patient had previously undergone a spinal fusion adjacent to the involved spinal segment, and spinal stabilisation was undertaken as well as a decompression. In addition to standard histological examination material was sent for examination under polarised light which revealed deposition of urate or calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals in all cases. It is not possible to diagnose gout and pseudogout of the spine by standard examination of a fixed specimen. However, examining dry specimens under polarised light suggests that crystal arthropathy is a significant aetiological factor in the development of symptomatic spinal stenosis associated with cyst formation in a facet joint.
Posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) is indicated
for many patients with pain and/or instability of the lumbar spine.
We performed 36 PLIF procedures using the patient’s lumbar spinous
process and laminae, which were inserted as a bone graft between
two vertebral bodies without using a cage. The mean lumbar lordosis
and mean disc height to vertebral body ratio were restored and preserved
after surgery. There were no serious complications. These results suggest that this procedure is safe and effective.
We conducted a prospective follow-up MRI study
of originally asymptomatic healthy subjects to clarify the development
of Modic changes in the cervical spine over a ten-year period and
to identify related factors. Previously, 497 asymptomatic healthy
volunteers with no history of cervical trauma or surgery underwent
MRI. Of these, 223 underwent a second MRI at a mean follow-up of
11.6 years (10 to 12.7). These 223 subjects comprised 133 men and 100
women with a mean age at second MRI of 50.5 years (23 to 83). Modic
changes were classified as not present and types 1 to 3. Changes
in Modic types over time and relationships between Modic changes
and progression of degeneration of the disc or clinical symptoms
were evaluated. A total of 31 subjects (13.9%) showed Modic changes at
follow-up: type 1 in nine, type 2 in 18, type 3 in two, and types In the cervical spine over a ten-year period
We report a prospective analysis of clinical
outcome in patients treated with medial patellofemoral ligament
(MPFL) reconstruction using an autologous semitendinosus graft.
The technique includes superolateral portal arthroscopic assessment
before and after graft placement to ensure correct graft tension
and patellar tracking before fixation. Between October 2005 and
October 2010, a total of 201 consecutive patients underwent 219 procedures.
Follow-up is presented for 211 procedures in 193 patients with a
mean age of 26 years (16 to 49), and mean follow-up of 16 months
(6 to 42). Indications were atraumatic recurrent patellar dislocation
in 141 patients, traumatic recurrent dislocation in 50, pain with
subluxation in 14 and a single dislocation with persistent instability
in six. There have been no recurrent dislocations/subluxations.
There was a statistically significant improvement between available pre-
and post-operative outcome scores for 193 patients (all p <
0.001).
Female patients with a history of atraumatic recurrent dislocation
and all patients with history of previous surgery had a significantly
worse outcome (all p <
0.05). The indication for surgery, degree
of dysplasia, associated patella alta, time from primary dislocation
to surgery and evidence of associated cartilage damage at operation
did not result in any significant difference in outcome. This series adds considerably to existing evidence that MPFL
reconstruction is an effective surgical procedure for selected patients
with patellofemoral instability.
The recent development of locking-plate technology has led to a potential revolution in the management of fractures of the distal radius. This review examines the evidence for pursuing anatomical restoration of the distal radius and the possible advantages and pitfalls of using volar locking plates to achieve this goal. The available evidence for adopting volar locking plates is presented and a number of important and, as yet unanswered, questions are highlighted.
The benefit of arthroscopy of the hip in the
treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) in terms of quality
of life (QoL) has not been reported. We prospectively collected
data on 612 patients (257 women (42%) and 355 men (58%)) with a
mean age at the time of surgery of 36.7 years (14 to 75) who underwent
arthroscopy of the hip for FAI under the care of a single surgeon.
The minimum follow-up was one year (mean 3.2 years (1 to 7)). The
responses to the modified Harris hip score were translated using
the Rosser Index Matrix in order to provide a QoL score. The mean
QoL score increased from 0.946 (-1.486 to 0.995) to 0.974 (0.7 to
1) at one year after surgery (p <
0.001). The mean QoL score
in men was significantly higher than in women, both before and one
year after surgery (both p <
0.001). However, the mean change
in the QoL score was not statistically different between men and
women (0.02 (-0.21 to 0.27) and 0.04 (-0.16 to 0.87), respectively;
p = 0.12). Linear regression analysis revealed that the significant predictors
of a change in QoL score were pre-operative QoL score (p <
0.001)
and gender (p = 0.04). The lower the pre-operative score, the higher
the gain in QoL post-operatively (ρ = -0.66; p <
0.001). One
year after surgery the QoL scores in the 612 patients had improved
in 469 (76.6%), remained unchanged in 88 (14.4%) and had deteriorated
in 55 (9.0%).
Overlap between the distal tibia and fibula has always been quoted
to be positive. If the value is not positive then an injury to the
syndesmosis is thought to exist. Our null hypothesis is that it
is a normal variant in the adult population. We looked at axial CT scans of the ankle in 325 patients for
the presence of overlap between the distal tibia and fibula. Where
we thought this was possible we reconstructed the images to represent
a plain film radiograph which we were able to rotate and view in
multiple planes to confirm the assessment. Objectives
Methods
Surgical marking during tendon surgery is often used for technical
and teaching purposes. This study investigates the effect of a gentian
violet ink marker pen, a common surgical marker, on the viability
of the tissue and cells of tendon.
Objectives
Methods
The painful subluxed or dislocated hip in adults
with cerebral palsy presents a challenging problem. Prosthetic dislocation
and heterotopic ossification are particular concerns. We present
the first reported series of 19 such patients (20 hips) treated
with hip resurfacing and proximal femoral osteotomy. The pre-operative
Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) was level V in
13 (68%) patients, level IV in three (16%), level III in one (5%) and
level II in two (11%). The mean age at operation was 37 years (13
to 57). The mean follow-up was 8.0 years (2.7 to 11.6), and 16 of the
18 (89%) contactable patients or their carers felt that the surgery
had been worthwhile. Pain was relieved in 16 of the 18 surviving
hips (89%) at the last follow-up, and the GMFCS level had improved
in seven (37%) patients. There were two (10%) early dislocations;
three hips (15%) required revision of femoral fixation, and two
hips (10%) required revision, for late traumatic fracture of the
femoral neck and extra-articular impingement, respectively. Hence
there were significant surgical complications in a total of seven
hips (35%). No hips required revision for instability, and there
were no cases of heterotopic ossification. We recommend hip resurfacing with proximal femoral osteotomy
for the treatment of the painful subluxed or dislocated hip in patients
with cerebral palsy.
Thoracic back pain caused by osteoarthritis of a single costovertebral joint is a poorly recognised condition. We report a series of five patients who were successfully treated by resection arthroplasty of this joint. Each had received a preliminary image-guided injection of local anaesthetic and steroid into the joint to confirm it as the source of pain. The surgical technique is described. There were no complications. The pain improved from a mean of 7.0 (6 to 8) on a visual analogue scale to 2.0 (0 to 4) post-operatively. The final post-operative Oswestry disability index was a mean of 19.4 (9 to 38). Isolated osteoarthritis of a costovertebral joint is a rare but treatable cause of thoracic back pain. It is possible to obtain excellent short- and intermediate-term relief from pain with resection arthroplasty in appropriately selected patients.
Contracture of the collateral ligaments is considered to be an important factor in post-traumatic stiffness of the elbow. We reviewed the results of isolated release of the medial collateral ligament in a series of 14 patients with post-traumatic loss of elbow flexion treated between 1998 and 2002. There were nine women and five men with a mean age of 45 years (17 to 76). They were reviewed at a mean follow-up of 25 months (9 to 48). The operation was performed through a longitudinal posteromedial incision centred over the ulnar nerve. After decompression of the ulnar nerve, release of the medial collateral ligament was done sequentially starting with the posterior bundle and the transverse component of the ligament, with measurement of the arc of movement after each step. If full flexion was not achieved the posterior half of the anterior bundle of the medial collateral ligament was released. At the latest follow-up, the mean flexion of the elbow improved significantly from 96° (85° to 115°) pre-operatively to 130° (110° to 150°) at final follow-up (p = 0.001). The mean extension improved significantly from 43° (5° to 90°) pre-operatively to 22° (5° to 40°) at final follow-up (p = 0.003). There was a significant improvement in the functional outcome. The mean Broberg and Morrey score increased from a mean of 54 points (29.5 to 85) pre-operatively to 87 points (57 to 99) at final follow-up (p <
0.001). All the patients had normal elbow stability. Our results indicate that partial surgical release of the medial collateral ligament is associated with improved range of movement of the elbow in patients with post-traumatic stiffness, but was less effective in controlling pain.
The management of nonunion following high tibial osteotomy by total knee replacement (TKR) has been reported previously. We have extended the treatment to embrace cases with an infected high tibial osteotomy by performing an initial debridement with a period of antibiotic treatment followed by TKR. We have reviewed the results of seven knees in six patients with a mean follow-up of 40.5 months (20 to 57) after the staged TKR. At the latest follow-up, all the pseudarthroses had healed and there had been no recurrence of infection. The mean Hospital for Special Surgery knee score improved from 51.2 (35 to 73) to a mean of 91.7 (84 to 98) at final review. Management of nonunion following high tibial osteotomy with a TKR can be extended to infected cases when treated in two stages with a debridement and antibiotic therapy prior to TKR.