Surgical Treatment of Acute Grade III Medial Collateral Ligament Injury Combined With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: Anatomic Ligament Repair Versus Triangular Ligament Reconstruction.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of medial collateral ligament (MCL) anatomic ligament repair (ALR) and triangular ligament reconstruction (TLR) in treating acute grade III MCL injury with respect to imaging and functional results. METHODS: Between January 2009 and October 2011, a total of 69 patients with an acute grade III MCL tear combined with an anterior cruciate ligament tear were divided into 2 groups: those who underwent ALR and those who underwent TLR. Single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction was also performed in all patients. A radiographic stress-position imaging test was performed to evaluate excessive medial opening of the knee. In addition, the Slocum test was carried out to assess anteromedial rotatory instability before surgery and at follow-up. The subjective symptoms and functional outcomes were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively with International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) assessment. RESULTS: Sixty-four patients with a mean follow-up period of 34 months were included in the final analysis. The measurement results for medial opening at the last follow-up appointment decreased significantly from the pretreatment measurements and fell within the normal range, without a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P > .05). The overall incidence of anteromedial rotatory instability was reduced to 21.9% compared with 62.5% preoperatively. However, the incidence of anteromedial rotatory instability in the TLR group (9.4%) decreased significantly compared with that in the ALR group (34.4%) (P < .05). All patients' IKDC subjective scores significantly improved after surgery. No statistically significant difference was found between the 2 groups at the last follow-up (P > .05). The comparison of IKDC extension and flexion deficit scores between the 2 groups showed no significant differences. Eleven patients in the ALR group and 4 in the TLR group complained of medial knee pain. The comparison between the 2 groups showed no significant difference (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical outcomes of this study showed that no major difference existed in the ALR and TLR groups based on IKDC scores and medial opening evaluations in the short-term. However, TLR offered better rotatory stability than ALR at final follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, lesser-quality randomized controlled trial.

Surgical versus non-surgical management for primary patellar dislocations: an up-to-date meta-analysis.

The aim of this up-to-date meta-analysis was to compare the effects of surgical versus non-surgical treatment of patients following primary patellar dislocation and to provide the best evidence currently available. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using multiple databases, including Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Registry of Clinical Trials. All databases were searched from the earliest records to May 2013. Eligible studies were selected, and data were extracted by two independent investigators. The primary outcome variable was the frequency of recurrent patellar dislocation. The other outcomes included knee function scores, patient-rated outcomes, and radiographic examination. If appropriate, meta-analysis of these variables was performed. Nine independent trials were found to match the inclusion criteria. The pooled results demonstrated that the incidence of recurrent patellar dislocation and Hughston visual analog scale was significantly lower in the surgical treatment group than that in the non-surgical treatment group (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two treatment groups in frequency of subsequent surgical interventions, percentage of excellent or good subjective opinion, Kujala score, pain score on visual analog scale, and severity of patellofemoral joint osteoarthrosis (P > 0.05). This up-to-date meta-analysis indicates that surgical treatment was associated with a lower risk of recurrent patellar dislocation, but a lower Hughston VAS than non-surgical treatment for primary patellar dislocation. More large high-quality trials and further studies are needed to overcome the limitations of small sample sizes, and varieties of different surgical procedures or non-surgical management strategies adopted in the included trials.

A minimally invasive medial patellofemoral ligament arthroscopic reconstruction.

The medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction is recognized as a good choice for patients with recurrent patellar dislocation. Most techniques of the medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction are open surgeries. Recently, we present a minimally invasive medial patellofemoral ligament arthroscopic reconstruction technique as a possible alternative method for recurrent patellar dislocation. The aim of the study was to describe a safe and effective technique to perform medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction. The graft was prepared in shape to "Y." Two 5-mm incisions were made in the skin above the medial edge of the patella. Two docking bone tunnels were drilled from medial edge to the center of the patella, mimicking the wide patellar insertion of the medial patellofemoral ligament, and a bone tunnel was made at the femoral insertion site. Two free ends of the graft were fixed into the patellar tunnels by lateral cortical suspension, and the folded end was fixed into the femoral tunnel by bioabsorbable interference screw. Average patellar tilt and the congruence angle were 30.7° ± 7.5° and 52.7° ± 7.3° and were reduced to 12.8° ± 0.9° and 2.3° ± 11.5° after treatment. The Kujala score was increased from 63.0 ± 9.0 to 91.0 ± 7.0. The minimally invasive medial patellofemoral ligament arthroscopic reconstruction in this paper seems to be helpful to increase safe of operation and treatment effect and reduce complications.