Is there value in the routine practice of discarding the incision scalpel from the surgical field to prevent deep wound contamination with Cutibacterium acnes? An update.

BACKGROUND: Cutibacterium acnes is the most common microbe implicated in periprosthetic infection in shoulder arthroplasty. We present an update of a previous pilot study in which we demonstrated the persistence of C acnes on the skin and contamination of the scalpel used for the initial skin incision despite a robust presurgical skin preparation protocol. METHODS: We collected a consecutive case series of patients undergoing primary or revision anatomic or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty performed by a single fellowship-trained surgeon at a tertiary referral hospital from November 2019 to December 2022. The scalpel blade used for the initial skin incision in each patient was swabbed, with cultures being held for 21 days according to a C acnes-specific protocol. Demographic data, medical comorbidities, surgical information, culture results, and infections were documented. RESULTS: We identified 100 patients (51 men and 49 women) who met the inclusion criteria (mean age, 66.91 years; age range, 44-93 years). Cultures returned positive findings for C acnes in 12 patients (12%), 11 of whom were men (odds ratio, 13.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.73-194.87). No association was found between positive culture findings and age, body mass index, medical comorbidities, or procedure type. No postoperative infections occurred in this patient cohort, and the patients will continue to be monitored for the development of infection. CONCLUSION: Despite stringent presurgical preparation and scrub protocols, a significant portion of patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty have C acnes in culturable quantities on their skin at the time of incision. C acnes contamination is much more common in male patients. These findings should be taken into consideration regarding preventive measures such as discarding the initial scalpel and avoiding unnecessary dermal contact during the procedure.

Mid- and Long-Term Outcomes Are Favorable for Patients With Borderline Dysplasia Undergoing Primary Hip Arthroscopy: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To evaluate midterm outcomes, long-term outcomes, and survivorship in the borderline dysplastic population after primary hip arthroscopy. METHODS: A systematic review of current literature was performed with the following key words: "hip, "arthroscopy," "borderline dysplasia," "borderline hip dysplasia," "developmental dysplasia," "ten-year," "survivorship," "10-year," "5-year," "five year," "mid-term," "long-term," "outcomes," "arthroscopic," and "femoroacetabular impingement" in PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus in March 2022 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. The following information was recorded: title, author, publication date, study design, demographic, number of hips, follow-up time, study period, indications for hip arthroscopy, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), characteristics of patients converting to total hip arthroplasty (THA), and rates of secondary surgeries and conversion to THA were recorded. Survivorship was defined as not converting to THA. Kappa values for the title/abstract and full-text screening were calculated. Forest plots were created for PROs that were included in 3 or more studies. RESULTS: Six articles comprising 413 hips were included in the study. Three studies were Level III evidence, and 3 studies were Level IV evidence. Average follow-up ranged from 5.7 to 12.2 years. One study defined borderline hip dysplasia as lateral center-edge angle 18-25° and 5 defined it as lateral center-edge angle 20-25°. All studies included PROs and reported significant improvement after surgery in at least one PRO. Three studies reported clinical benefit and across the studies at least 70% of patients achieved minimum clinically important difference in at least one PRO. Rates of undergoing revision hip arthroscopy and THA ranged from 2.1% to 7% and 0% to 24%, respectively. Tönnis grade 2, Tönnis angle >15, and Outerbridge Grade IV cartilage damage were identified as predictors of conversion to THA. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with borderline hip dysplasia undergoing primary hip arthroscopy demonstrated significant improvement in PROs at midterm and long-term follow-up. Survivorship at midterm follow-up was 98.2% (328/334 hips) and 76.3% (29/38 hips) at long-term follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level III and Level IV studies.

Short-Term Complications Following Total Ankle Arthroplasty and Associated Risk Factors: A NSQIP Database Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) has become increasingly utilized over the past 20 years to treat osteoarthritis of the ankle. The efficacy and safety of this procedure has been previously reported, but relatively few studies have documented the risk of postoperative complications associated with TAA over the past 10 years. Thus, the aim of this study is to provide a current report on the safety of TAA, particularly in association with a number of preoperative risk factors. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database who underwent TAA between 2012 and 2018 was performed. A total of 1333 patients were included in this analysis. Penalized logistic regression to consider small numbers of the postoperative complications was used to identify factors associated with incidence of the complications. RESULTS: The rate of readmission and superficial wound infection were found to be 1.4% and 0.6%, respectively. Risk factors associated with a prolonged hospital stay were black race, Hispanic race, and smoking. Diabetes was associated with a significantly increased risk of readmission. Age, sex, body mass index, and steroid use were not associated with increased risk of postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: In this study, the rate of surgical site infection and readmission in TAA was found to be relatively low, compared to published data on total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty. Both race and smoking increase the risk of prolonged hospital stay, while diabetes increases the risk of readmission. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative trial.

Patients Undergoing Primary Hip Arthroscopy Report Favorable Outcomes at Minimum 10 Year Follow-Up: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: (1) To evaluate minimum 10-year PROs (patient-reported outcomes) and survivorship after primary hip arthroscopy and (2) to identify predictors of failure for secondary arthroscopy and conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted with the following key words: "hip arthroscopy," "long-term," "outcomes," "ten-year," "survivorship," "10-year," "15-year," "fifteen-year," 20-year," "twenty-year," and "femoroacetabular impingement" in PubMed and Embase in March 2022 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. Level I to Level IV evidence was included and reported on minimum 10-year outcomes or greater after primary hip arthroscopy. Long-term studies were defined as minimum 10-year follow-up in accordance with established standards in the literature. Case reports, review articles, technique articles, and opinion articles were excluded. Articles not in English were excluded. Title, author, publication date, study design, demographic, number of hips, follow-up time, study period, indications for hip arthroscopy, PROs, predictors of failure for THA, and rates of secondary surgeries were recorded. Survivorship was defined as a nonconversion to THA. P < .05 was defined as statistical significance. RESULTS: Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. In total, 4 studies were Level III, and 8 studies were Level IV. A total of 1,344 hips were included, and follow-up ranged from 10 to 20 years. Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome was the most common indication for hip arthroscopy. Ten of the 12 studies reported on PROs, and 8 studies reported significant improvement after hip arthroscopy at long-term follow-up. The remaining 2 studies reported favorable outcomes that satisfied clinical benefit thresholds at minimum 10-year follow-up. Five studies reported clinical benefit where each patient cohort achieved 80% minimal clinically important difference and 75% patient acceptable symptomatic state for at least one PRO. Rates of secondary arthroscopy ranged from 4.5% to 24%, and rates of conversion to THA varied from 0% to 44.1%. Older age and chondral damage were the most commonly cited predictors for conversion to THA. CONCLUSIONS: At long-term follow-up, patients who underwent primary hip arthroscopy demonstrated favorable outcomes and variable rates of secondary surgeries. Patients undergoing hip arthroscopy within the last 20 years with Tönnis grade <1 and labral repair experienced greater than 90% survivorship. Chondral damage and older age were the most cited predictors for conversion to THA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level III and Level IV studies.

Medial and Lateral Posterior Tibial Slope in the Skeletally Immature: A Cadaveric Study.

Background: An increased posterior tibial slope (PTS) results in greater force on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and is a risk factor for ACL injuries. Biomechanical studies have suggested that a reduction in the PTS angle may lower the risk of ACL injuries. However, the majority of these investigations have been in the adult population. Purpose: To assess the mean medial and lateral PTS on pediatric cadaveric specimens without known knee injuries. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 39 pediatric knee specimens with computed tomography scans were analyzed. Specimens analyzed were between the ages of 2 and 12 years. The PTS of each specimen was measured on sagittal computed tomography slices at 2 locations for the medial and lateral angles. The measurements were plotted graphically by age to account for the variability in development within age groups. The anterior medial and lateral tibial plateau widths were measured. The distance between the top of the tibial plateau and the physis was measured. The independent-samples t test and analysis of variance were used to analyze the measurements. Results: The mean PTS angle for the medial and lateral tibial plateaus was 5.53° ± 4.17° and 5.95° ± 3.96°, respectively. The difference between the PTS angles of the medial and lateral tibial plateaus was not statistically significant (P > .05). When plotted graphically by age, no trend between age and PTS was identified. Conclusion: This data set offers values for the PTS in skeletally immature specimens without a history of ACL injury and suggests that age may not be an accurate predictive factor for PTS.

Patellar Tendon Imbrication for Patella Alta.

Patella alta is a significant contributor to patellar instability. Historically, distalizing tibial tubercle osteotomy has been recommended for this problem; however, complications such as nonunion, fracture and hardware irritation are concerning. Additionally, the procedure cannot be performed on skeletally immature patients without violation of the proximal tibial physis. The authors describe a technique of patellar tendon imbrication that does not involve hardware or osteotomy. This technique allows for reliable correction of patella alta and provides patellar stability without the complications associated with osteotomy.

Patient Factors Associated With Increased Risk for Complications After the Latarjet Procedure.

BACKGROUND: The open Latarjet has become the most common method of addressing significant glenoid bone loss in patients with recurrent glenohumeral instability. PURPOSE: To describe national trends in Latarjet procedures and risk factors for complications associated with this procedure. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: Eligible patients were identified through the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) data set over the years 2014 to 2018 by using the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code for "capsulorrhaphy anterior with coracoid process transfer" (CPT 23462). Patient and surgical outcome variables were extracted and analyzed from the NSQIP database. Logistic regression analysis and odds ratios (ORs) were performed to evaluate the relative risk of complications. RESULTS: The authors identified 458 patients (399 men and 59 women) from the data set. The mean body mass index was 27.4 kg/m2, and mean operative time was 130.2 minutes. Statistically significant variables included smoking status and sex, which were further stratified. Smokers were 2.19 times more likely to experience at least 1 adverse outcome, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism, reoperation, wound infection, unplanned readmission, or readmission (95% CI, 0.62-7.82). Specifically, smokers were 7.8 times more likely to have a DVT (95% CI, 0.58-105.96), 1.4 times more likely to undergo reoperation (95% CI, 0.14-5.73), and 2.4 times more likely to have an unplanned readmission (95% CI, 0.19-28.68). Women were 2.2 times more likely to experience at least 1 adverse outcome. Specifically, women were found to be 6.4 times more likely to have a DVT (95% CI, 0.76-54.87), 4.1 times more likely to have an unplanned readmission (95% CI, 0.00-106.21), and 4.7 times more likely to have a readmission (95% CI, 0.00-13.92). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that smokers and female patients are at a higher risk of experiencing adverse outcomes and may require additional pre- and postprocedural precautions when undergoing the Latarjet procedure. With the increase in frequency, providers should be aware of patient-related factors that may lead to adverse outcomes.

Increasing age and modifiable comorbidities are associated with short-term complications after open reduction and internal fixation of ankle fractures.

BACKGROUND: Ankle fractures are common orthopedic injuries with complication rates fixation of up to 40%. Limited evidence exists in the literature regarding complications in the elderly population, and moreover, these studies frequently define elderly arbitrarily at 60-65 years old. The purpose of the present study was to utilize a large, validated database to evaluate whether there is an inflection point of age when postoperative complications after an ankle fracture significantly increase. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database who underwent fixation of an ankle fracture between 2012 and 2018 was performed. Patients were identified within the database using the Current Procedural Terminology codes. Appropriate statistical analysis was performed with p value less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 27,633 fractures were including and comprised of 221 posterior malleolar, 1567 medial malleolar, 8495 lateral malleolar, 10,175 bimalleolar, and 7175 trimalleolar. A total of 1545 complications were encountered (5.6%). There was a statistically significant association between increasing age and complications (OR = 1.03; p < 0.001). Further analysis shows the largest spike in complications within the age 78 + bracket. There were no overall interaction effects between age and fracture subtype (p = 0.223). CONCLUSION: ORIF of ankle fractures is a common orthopedic procedure performed on patients of all ages, with complications ranging in severity. In order to best counsel patients on their individual postoperative risks, large datasets are often necessary to prognosticate. This study found that postoperative complications increase with advanced age. The incidence of complications did not spike for patients around the age of 65, but rather followed an incremental linear pattern with the largest increase in odds ratio occurring at age 78 and above. Complication rate was not associated with specific fracture type based off of ICD codes.

Descriptive Epidemiology From the Research in Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee (ROCK) Prospective Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) occurs most commonly in the knees of young individuals. This condition is known to cause pain and discomfort in the knee and can lead to disability and early knee osteoarthritis. The cause is not well understood, and treatment plans are not well delineated. The Research in Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee (ROCK) group established a multicenter, prospective cohort to better understand this disease. PURPOSE: To provide a baseline report of the ROCK multicenter prospective cohort and present a descriptive analysis of baseline data for patient characteristics, lesion characteristics, and clinical findings of the first 1000 cases enrolled into the prospective cohort. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: Patients were recruited from centers throughout the United States. Baseline data were obtained for patient characteristics, sports participation, patient-reported measures of functional capabilities and limitations, physical examination, diagnostic imaging results, and initial treatment plan. Descriptive statistics were completed for all outcomes of interest. RESULTS: As of November 2020, a total of 27 orthopaedic surgeons from 17 institutions had enrolled 1004 knees with OCD, representing 903 patients (68.9% males; median age, 13.1 years; range, 6.3-25.4 years), into the prospective cohort. Lesions were located on the medial femoral condyle (66.2%), lateral femoral condyle (18.1%), trochlea (9.5%), patella (6.0%), and tibial plateau (0.2%). Most cases involved multisport athletes (68.1%), with the most common primary sport being basketball for males (27.3% of cases) and soccer for females (27.6% of cases). The median Pediatric International Knee Documentation Committee (Pedi-IKCD) score was 59.9 (IQR, 45.6-73.9), and the median Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (Pedi-FABS) score was 21.0 (IQR, 5.0-28.0). Initial treatments were surgical intervention (55.4%) and activity restriction (44.0%). When surgery was performed, surgeons deemed the lesion to be stable at intraoperative assessment in 48.1% of cases. CONCLUSION: The multicenter ROCK group has been able to enroll the largest knee OCD cohort to date. This information is being used to further understand the pathology of OCD, including its cause, associated comorbidities, and initial presentation and symptoms. The cohort having been established is now being followed longitudinally to better define and elucidate the best treatment algorithms based on these presenting signs and symptoms.

Impact of Early Weightbearing After Ankle Arthroscopy and Bone Marrow Stimulation for Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus.

BACKGROUND: Osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT) may be caused by osteochondritis dissecans, osteochondral fractures, avascular necrosis, or focal arthritic changes. For certain focal cartilage defects, bone marrow stimulation (BMS) has been a widely used technique to restore a fibrocartilage substitute overlying the defect. There are various postoperative weightbearing protocols for this procedure, with no single gold standard method. PURPOSE: To retrospectively review the outcomes of patients undergoing ankle arthroscopy with concomitant BMS to determine outcomes based on postoperative weightbearing status. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent ankle arthroscopy with BMS for OLTs between 2015 and 2018. Patients were placed into 2 cohorts based on postoperative immobilization status: the nonweightbearing (NWB) group and the weightbearing-as-tolerated (WBAT) group. Patient characteristics obtained included age, sex, comorbidities, and etiology of talar pathology. Outcomes included the pain visual analog scale (VAS), range of motion (ROM), complications, time to first weightbearing, and the method and length of immobilization. Patients who were lost to follow-up before 30 days were excluded. The chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables between cohorts, and the t test was used for continuous variables. RESULTS: A total of 69 patients met the inclusion criteria for this study, 18 in the WBAT group and 51 in the NWB group. The mean lesion size was 9.48 × 9.21 mm (range, 3-15 mm × 2-20 mm) for the NWB group and 9.36 × 9.72 mm (range, 5-14 mm × 6-20 mm) for the WBAT group (P > .05). The VAS scores improved from 4.40 to 0.67 for the WBAT group and from 6.33 to 2.55 for the NWB group, with the difference in final values reaching statistical significance (P = .0002). Postoperative ROM was not significantly different between the groups. There were 4 repeat operations within the NWB cohort. CONCLUSION: The surgical management of OLTs can be challenging, and the postoperative weightbearing protocol can be an extra obstacle for the patient to navigate. We found no difference in pain, ROM, or complications when allowing immediate, full WBAT.

Relationship Between Patellar Morphology and Known Anatomic Risk Factors for Patellofemoral Instability.

BACKGROUND: Patellar instability (PI) is a common problem among pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients. Recent literature has shown a correlation between pathoanatomy and PI. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to determine if there is any difference in patellar shape in patients with and without PI and if there is any association between the shape of the patella and the shape of the trochlea. Our hypothesis was that there would be no association between the shape of the patella and the likelinhood of having PI and that the shape of the trochlea would not be associated with patellar morphology. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were analyzed for 97 study patients with PI and 100 control patients with anterior cruciate ligament tears. Radiologic measurements of trochlear morphology were collected via MRI; 15 measurements of patellar morphology were then measured using axial MRI scans. Comparisons between the control and PI groups were performed using a 2-tailed t test. Regression analysis was performed to determine if associations existed between the 15 patellar morphology measurements and the trochlear dysplasia measurements. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the PI and control groups for the majority of patellar morphology measurements. With regression analysis, there were no statistically significant associations between the majority of patellar morphology measurements and the trochlear dysplasia measurements. CONCLUSION: Patellar morphology is highly variable in knees with and without PI. There was a minimal association between measurements of patellar morphology and trochlear dysplasia.

Is there value in the routine practice of discarding the incision scalpel from the surgical field to prevent deep wound contamination with Cutibacterium acnes?

BACKGROUND: Cutibacterium acnes is found in skin flora of the shoulder and is the most common microbe identified in periprosthetic shoulder infections. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is C acnes present on the incision scalpel in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty despite extensive skin preparation techniques to prevent wound contamination. METHODS: The authors collected a consecutive case series of patients meeting inclusion criteria. Patients were included if they underwent either primary or revision shoulder arthroplasty at the tertiary care hospital with the senior author during the study period. Culture swab samples, testing for presence of C acnes, were collected from 17 consecutive patients who underwent shoulder arthroplasty with a single fellowship-trained surgeon between November 2019 and March 2020. Culture reports were recorded as "positive" or "negative" after 21 days. Institutional review board approval of the study protocol was obtained. The null hypothesis was that there would be no cases with knife blades "culture positive" for C acnes. RESULTS: 17 patients were identified and fit inclusion criteria. There were 12 men (mean age 64.3 years, range 48-79 years) and 5 women (mean age 69.8 years, range 59-79 years). Two patients (11.8%) were found to have C acnes growth on the skin knife. Both patients were male and older than 70 years undergoing primary reverse shoulder arthroplasty with no history of previous shoulder infections. CONCLUSION: The presence of C acnes on the skin blade in 2 patients validates concerns that there is C acnes present in dermal tissue despite extensive attention to eradication of these microbes. There was a high rate of C acnes contamination on scalpel blades used for initial skin incisions and the authors conclude that there is value in discarding these blades from the surgical field.

The Original Mini-Open Technique for Repair of Humeral Avulsion of the Glenohumeral Ligament.

Anterior shoulder dislocations commonly occur in the young, athletic population. The mechanism of dislocation occurs when the shoulder is placed in an abducted, externally rotated position while a forceful anterior moment is applied to the humerus. This position, combined with the force applied, results in an anterior and inferiorly directed dislocation of the humeral head away from the glenoid. Due to the limited stretching capacity of the glenohumeral capsule and associated glenohumeral ligaments, the force of the traumatic dislocation overcomes the tensile strength of these ligaments, resulting in a tear. Although the injury more commonly results in an avulsion of the anteroinferior capsulolabral complex from the glenoid, called a Bankart lesion, other injuries have been described. The anterior inferior glenohumeral ligaments (aIGHLs), may be torn from their humeral attachment, which is referred to as a humeral avulsion of the glenohumeral ligament (HAGL). Although other structures may be injured, the topic of this surgical technique focuses on a mini-open approach for repair of the HAGL lesion.

Demographics and Epidemiology of Discoid Menisci of the Knee: Analysis of a Large Regional Insurance Database.

BACKGROUND: A discoid meniscus is a morphological variant of normal knee joint meniscus shape and ultrastructure that can lead to traumatic tearing of this tissue and early joint osteoarthritis. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of discoid menisci in a large, ethnically diverse regional cohort and to evaluate possible risk factors. The hypothesis was that there would be no difference in the epidemiological distribution of discoid menisci based on ethnicity or sex. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: The study population was from a regional, integrated health care system cohort from Kaiser Permanente of Southern California that, as of 2016, included more than 4.5 million patients. Patient demographics included age, sex, and ethnicity within this cohort. Potential risk factors analyzed included age, sex, ethnicity, and body mass index (BMI). Unique characteristics of a discoid meniscus were analyzed, including a symptomatic versus asymptomatic meniscus, location of meniscal tear and type of meniscus, and frequency of meniscal surgical treatment. RESULTS: A total of 223 patients with a confirmed discoid meniscus were identified, yielding an overall prevalence rate of 4.88 per 100,000 patients. Those identifying as Black had the lowest prevalence (2.68/100,000), while Hispanic ethnicity had the highest (6.01/100,000). However, there was no significant difference with regard to ethnicity (P = .283), nor any significant difference between sexes. BMI did not significantly influence the rate of discoid menisci (P = .504). A majority (77.5%) of patients were symptomatic, while 22.5% of patients with discoid menisci were asymptomatic and discovered incidentally. Symptomatic discoid menisci were more likely to be operated on compared with asymptomatic discoid menisci (71% vs 14%, respectively; P = .001; odds ratio, 14.8 [95% CI, 5.8-37.2]). Horizontal and bucket-handle tears were the more common tear types. Of the discoid menisci in this cohort, 55.6% underwent surgery, with 95.2% undergoing reported saucerization. CONCLUSION: In this very diverse population-based cohort of patients, there did not seem to be a significant predilection of discoid menisci with regard to ethnicity. Neither sex nor BMI significantly influenced the rate of discoid menisci. More than three-quarters of those with a diagnosed discoid meniscus were symptomatic. Of the tears that occurred with discoid menisci, horizontal and bucket-handle tears made up the largest proportion.

Open Anatomic Reconstruction of the Posterolateral Corner: The Arciero Technique.

The posterolateral corner (PLC) is an important stabilizer of the knee. This complex of ligaments and tendons functions as the primary restraint to varus and posterolateral rotation of the knee. Injury to the PLC can result in chronic instability, a varus-thrust gait, and early arthrosis of the medial compartment of the knee if left untreated. Several techniques have been designed to address injuries of the PLC. Over the last 30 years, our understanding of the posterolateral corner as well as its operative reconstruction evolved. This evolution has attempted to refine what is an "anatomic" reconstruction. With more improved techniques and new, innovative fixation devices, we hope to make a more favorable repair for recreating the native stability of the posterolateral corner.

Traumatic Patellar Dislocations in Childhood and Adolescents.

Patellar instability and associated patellar dislocation can result in significant pain, disability, and associated injuries in young athletes. The patellofemoral joint is a complex articulation with stabilizing restraints, both medially and laterally, that help guide the patella into the corresponding trochlear groove as the knee cycles through an extension-to-flexion arc. In addition to soft tissue injuries, many osseous aberrancies can contribute to patellar instability in young athletes, including trochlear dysplasia, patella alta, and axial and coronal plane abnormalities. There is a role for nonoperative treatment in these young athletes; however, if recurrent or associated injuries are identified surgical intervention is warranted. Correct diagnosis of the underlying cause of the patellar instability is paramount to developing a surgical plan that will yield the most favorable outcome for these young athletes.

When to Abandon the Arthroscopic Bankart Repair: A Systematic Review.

CONTEXT: Bone loss is a major factor in determining surgical choice in patients with anterior glenohumeral instability. Although bone loss has been described, there is no consensus on glenoid, humeral head, and bipolar bone loss limits for which arthroscopic-only management with Bankart repair can be performed. OBJECTIVE: To provide guidelines for selecting a more complex repair or reconstruction (in lieu of arthroscopic-only Bankart repair) in the setting of glenohumeral instability based on available literature. DATA SOURCES: An electronic search of the literature for the period from 2000 to 2019 was performed using PubMed (MEDLINE). STUDY SELECTION: Studies were included if they quantified bone loss (humeral head or glenoid) in the setting of anterior instability treated with arthroscopic Bankart repair. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4. DATA EXTRACTION: Study design, level of evidence, patient demographics, follow-up, recurrence rates, and measures of bone loss (glenoid, humeral head, bipolar). RESULTS: A total of 14 studies met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 10 measured glenoid bone loss, 5 measured humeral head bone loss, and 2 measured "tracking" without explicit measurement of humeral head bone loss. Measurement techniques for glenoid and humeral head bone loss varied widely. Recommendations for maximum glenoid bone loss for arthroscopic repair were largely <15% of glenoid width in recent studies. Recommendations regarding humeral head loss were more variable (many authors providing only qualitative descriptions) with increasing attention on glenohumeral tracking. CONCLUSION: It is essential that a standardized method of glenoid and humeral head bone loss measurements be performed preoperatively to assess which patients will have successful stabilization after arthroscopic Bankart repair. Glenoid bone loss should be <15%, and humeral head lesions should be "on track" if an arthroscopic-only Bankart is planned. If there is greater bone loss, adjunct or open procedures should be performed.

Osteotomies for the Management of Medial Compartment Defects of the Knee.

For nearly three-quarters of a century the proximal tibia osteotomy has been used as an effective treatment for cartilage injuries of the knee. Over this same timeframe several advancements have been made in our diagnostic, preoperative planning, and technical execution of this procedure. As such, good-to-excellent short-, mid-, and long-term outcomes have been reported. Since its inception, the most important step in deciding on this procedure is identifying the ideal candidate. This candidate should be a young patient (<55 years old), active, with isolated medial compartment arthrosis without significant comorbidities. With appropriate patient selection and careful preoperative planning, the patient should achieve excellent results and high satisfaction.

Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee: An Interrater Reliability Study of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Imaging characteristics of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions quantified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are often used to inform treatment and prognosis. However, the interrater reliability of clinician-driven MRI-based assessment of OCD lesions is not well documented. PURPOSE: To determine the interrater reliability of several historical and novel MRI-derived characteristics of OCD of the knee in children. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A total of 42 OCD lesions were evaluated by 10 fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons using 31 different MRI characteristics, characterizing lesion size and location, condylar size, cartilage status, the interface between parent and progeny bone, and features of both the parent and the progeny bone. Interrater reliability was determined via intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) with 2-way random modeling, Fleiss kappa, or Krippendorff alpha as appropriate for each variable. RESULTS: Raters were reliable when the lesion was measured in the coronal plane (ICC, 0.77). Almost perfect agreement was achieved for condylar size (ICC, 0.93), substantial agreement for physeal patency (ICC, 0.79), and moderate agreement for joint effusion (ICC, 0.56) and cartilage status (ICC, 0.50). Overall, raters showed significant variability regarding interface characteristics (ICC, 0.25), progeny (ICC range, 0.03 to 0.62), and parent bone measurements and qualities (ICC range, -0.02 to 0.65), with reliability being moderate at best for these measurements. CONCLUSION: This multicenter study determined the interrater reliability of MRI characteristics of OCD lesions in children. Although several measurements provided acceptable reliability, many MRI features of OCD that inform treatment decisions were unreliable. Further work will be needed to refine the unreliable characteristics and to assess the ability of those reliable characteristics to predict clinical lesion instability and prognosis.

Anatomic Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measurements in First-Time Patellar Dislocators by Sex and Age.

CONTEXT: Anatomic differences of the knee in first-time patellar dislocators have not been clearly elucidated. OBJECTIVE: To compare structural differences of the knee in those who have sustained an acute first-time patellar dislocation resulting in a medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) tear by sex and age (≤17 years old, ≥18 years old). DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Retrospective magnetic resonance imaging analysis. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-five acute first-time patellar dislocators with an associated MPFL tear. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Patellar height using 3 methods, patellar alignment using congruency angles, and trochlear morphology using the sulcus angle. We compared the means of these variables by sex and age. The intraclass correlation coefficient was then calculated to assess the agreement of the independent reviewers. RESULTS: A total of 21 left and 14 right knees were analyzed. The MPFL tear location did not differ by sex (P = .34) or age (P = .43). Patellar height did not differ as measured by the Caton-Deschamps ratio (P = .29 for sex, P = .49 for age), Insall-Salvati index (P = .15 for sex, P = .33 for age), or patellotrochlear index (P = .67 for sex, P = .49 for age). The congruence angle (P = .81 for sex, P = .06 for age) and trochlear morphology as measured by the sulcus angle (P = .64 for sex, P = .45 for age) were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patellar height and trochlear morphology did not differ by sex or age among patients whose first-time patellar dislocations resulted in an MPFL tear. In addition, the location of the tear did not appear to vary by sex or age.