A comparative study of volar locking-plate fixation with corticocancellous and pure cancellous bone grafts for scaphoid nonunion with dorsal intercalated segmental instability secondary to scaphoid humpback deformity.

INTRODUCTION: Bone grafts for scaphoid nonunion with deformity include cortcicocancellous or pure cancellous bone grafts. This study compared the outcomes between two types of bone grafts when employing a volar locking-plate in patients with scaphoid nonunion with dorsal intercalated segmental instability (DISI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 34 patients with scaphoid nonunion and DISI due to humpback deformity treated between March 2017 and January 2022. Two types of bone grafts were obtained from iliac crest. Twenty of the corticocancellous (CC) group underwent a wedge-shaped graft, while 14 patients of the pure cancellous (C-only) group received graft chips. In both groups, a 1.5-mm anatomically pre-contoured locking plate was used for fixation. Radiographic evaluations included the union rate and carpal alignment including scapholunate angle (SLA), radiolunate angle (RLA), intrascaphoid angle (ISA) and scaphoid height to length ratio (HLR). Clinical assessments encompassed wrist range-of-motion, grip strength, and patient-reported outcomes. RESULTS: Nineteen of the 20 patients in the CC group and 12 of the 14 patients in the C-only group respectively, achieving osseous union. The mean follow-up period in CC group was 14.7 (range, 12 ∼ 24) months and that in C-only group was 12.6 (range, 12 ∼ 15) months. Postoperatively, there were no significant intergroup differences of radiographic parameters including SLA (CC; 49.9° ± 6.7° vs. C-only; 48.9° ± 3.5°, P = 0.676), RLA (1.7° ± 6.4° vs. 2.4° ± 3.3°, P = 0.74), ISA (36° ± 7.5° vs. 36.6° ± 12.2°, P = 0.881), and HLR (0.54 ± 0.09 vs. 0.53 ± 0.05, P = 0.587). Clinical outcomes, including the flexion-extension arc (137° ± 30° vs. 158° ± 33°, P = 0.122), grip strength (93.4 % ± 15.4% vs. 99.5 % ± 16.7 %, P = 0.39), Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores (11.2 ± 8.3 vs. 12.5 ± 7.7, P = 0.74) and Mayo Wrist Scores (81.2 ± 13.1 vs. 89 ± 11.4, P = 0.242) also showed no significant intergroup differences. CONCLUSIONS: Volar locking-plate fixation with pure cancellous bone grafts achieved outcomes comparable to those achieved with corticocancellous bone grafts in scaphoid nonunion with deformity, possibly due to the biomechanical advantages of the volar plate to provide structural supports.

The SPECT/CT Evaluation of Compartmental Changes after Open Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate compartmental changes using combined single-photon emission computerized tomography and conventional computerized tomography (SPECT/CT) after open wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) for providing clinical guidance for proper correction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Analysis was performed using SPECT/CT from around 1 year after surgery on 22 patients who underwent OWHTO. Postoperative mechanical axis was measured and classified into 3 groups: group I (varus), group II (0°-3° valgus), and group III (>3° valgus). Patella location was evaluated using Blackburne-Peel (BP) ratio. On SPECT/CT, the knee joint was divided into medial, lateral, and patellofemoral compartments and the brighter signal was marked as a positive signal. RESULTS: Increased signal activity in the medial compartment was observed in 12 cases. No correlation was observed between postoperative mechanical axis and medial signal increase. Lateral increased signal activity was observed in 3 cases, and as valgus degree increased, lateral compartment's signal activity increased. Increased signal activity of the patellofemoral joint was observed in 7 cases, and significant correlation was observed between changes in BP ratio and increased signal activity. CONCLUSIONS: For the treatment of medial osteoarthritis, OWHTO requires overcorrection that does not exceed 3 valgus. In addition, the possibility of a patellofemoral joint problem after OWHTO should be kept in mind.

Performance of antegrade suture passers according to tendon thickness.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of tendon thickness on the needle penetration ability of four different designs of antegrade suture passers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four antegrade suture passers were tested: (a) ExpresSew II (Depuy Mitek Inc., Raynham, MA), (b) Arthrex Scorpion (Arthrex, Naples, FL), (c) Concept (Linvatec Corp, Largo, FL), and (d) ElitePass (Smith and Nephew Endoscopy, Andover, MA). Bovine tendons were divided into five thickness groups: 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 mm. At each tendon thickness, we performed 15 trials with the suture loaded and 15 unloaded per device. Successful needle penetration was recorded, and in case of success, the exit point of the needle was noted in relation to the superior arm of the grasping component. RESULTS: All tested suture passing devices successfully penetrated tendon thicknesses of 3 and 5 mm. With the suture loaded, one device (Concept) only successfully penetrated 7 mm group tendons in 3/15 (20%) trials. Success rates at 9 mm with the suture loaded were 40% in ExpresSew II, 53% in Arthrex Scorpion, 0% in Concept and 53% in ElitePass. Among successful passages with a loaded suture in the 7 and 9 mm-groups, about 20-50% of passages were oblique, and the needle came out distal to the superior arm of grasping the component. No trial with any device succeeded with 11 mm tendons in the suture loading condition. CONCLUSION: Using an antegrade suture passer during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair should be carefully considered when the torn end of the tendon is thicker than about 7-9 mm due to potential failure of needle penetration and/or too oblique a suture passage. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Controlled laboratory study.

The influence of pain sensitivity on the symptom severity in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

BACKGROUND: The symptom severity of back pain/leg pain is not correlated with the severity of degenerative changes and canal stenosis in lumbar stenosis. Considering the individual pain sensitivity might play an important role in pain perception, this discordance between the radiologic findings and clinical symptoms in degenerative lumbar stenosis might originate from the individual difference of pain sensitivity for back pain and/or leg pain. OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship among the clinical symptoms, radiologic findings, and the individual pain sensitivity in the patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. SETTING: A spine center in the department of orthopedic surgery. METHODS: In 94 patients who had chronic back pain and/or leg pain caused by degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis, a medical history, a physical examination, and completion of a series of questionnaires, including pain sensitivity questionnaire (PSQ) [total PSQ and PSQ-minor], Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS) for back pain, and Short Form-36 (SF-36) were recorded on the first visit. Radiologic analysis was performed using the MRI findings. The grading of canal stenosis was based on the method by Schizas, and the degree of disc degeneration was graded from T2-weighted images with the Pfirrmann classification. The correlations among variables were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Total PSQ and PSQ-minor were not dependent on the grade of canal stenosis after gender adjustment. VAS for leg pain and back pain was highly associated with the total PSQ and the PSQ-minor. Total PSQ and PSQ-minor were also significantly associated with ODI. Among SF-36 scales, the PSQ minor had significant correlations with SF-36 such as bodily pain (BP), Role-emotional (RE), and Mental Component Summary (MCS) after control of confounding variables such as body mass index (BMI), age, and the grade of canal stenosis/disc degeneration. Total PSQ was significantly associated with the SF-36 RP, BP, and RE. Furthermore, after adjustment for gender and pain sensitivity, there was no significant association between the grade of canal stenosis and VAS for back pain/leg pain and ODI, and no correlation was found between the grade of disc degeneration and VAS for back pain/leg pain and ODI, either. LIMITATIONS: The multiple lesions of canal stenosis and/or disc degeneration and the grade of facet degeneration were not considered as a variable. CONCLUSION: The current study suggests that the pain sensitivity could be a determining factor for symptom severity in the degenerative spinal disease.

Impact of the attainment of current recommended low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal of less than 70 mg/dl on clinical outcomes in very high-risk patients treated with drug-eluting stents.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate whether the attainment of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal of less than 70 mg/dl would affect clinical outcomes in Korean patients treated with drug-eluting stents (DES). BACKGROUND: The current cholesterol guideline has strongly recommended reducing LDL-C to less than 70 mg/dl as the goal of therapy for very high-risk patients. METHODS: From 2003 to 2006, a total of 1347 very high-risk patients were treated with DES. Among them, we identified 578 eligible patients with follow-up LDL-C within 6-8 months after DES and divided these patients into two groups based on the level of follow-up LDL-C: group A, follow-up LDL less than 70 mg/dl (n=234) and group B, LDL of at least 70 mg/dl (n=344). Then we analyzed the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events [MACCE: death, myocardial infarction, target-vessel revascularization (TVR), non-TVR, cerebrovascular accidents] of both the groups. RESULTS: During the follow-up (mean duration=30+/-10 months), group A showed a significantly lower TVR (6%) and MACCE rate (14%), compared with group B (TVR: 12%, P=0.032; MACCE: 24%, P=0.002). However, there was no difference in the rate of death, myocardial infarction, or cerebrovascular accidents between the two groups. By multivariate analysis, follow-up LDL-C level of less than 70 mg/dl was one of the significant predictors for the occurrence of MACCE (odds ratio=0.39, 95% confidence interval: 0.21-0.72, P=0.003) or TVR (odds ratio=0.39, 95% confidence interval: 0.20-0.76, P=0.005). CONCLUSION: This study showed that the attainment of LDL-C goal of less than 70 mg/dl was significantly associated with a lower MACCE or TVR rate in very high-risk Korean patients treated with DES.