Long-term results after medial patellotibial ligament reconstruction for the treatment of patellofemoral instability.

PURPOSE: To evaluate long-term clinical outcomes and redislocation rate after medial patellotibial ligament reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 26 knees with mean age 26.3 ± 10.6 years (25 patients, 7 males and 18 females) treated for patellar instability (at least two objective dislocations) with medialization of the patellar tendon medial third were evaluated with an intermediate clinical follow-up (FU) at a mean of 6.5 ± 2.1 years and with a final telephone interview follow-up at mean of 15.6 ± 2.5 years (11.4-20.1). Western Ontario and MacMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Kujala, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain and Tegner activity scores were used. Information about further redislocation and knee surgery was also collected. RESULTS: All the clinical scores had a significant improvement compared to preoperative status (WOMAC pre-op 55.9 ± 27.2 vs. WOMAC final FU 80.8 ± 22.2; KUJALA pre-op 41.0 ± 24.0 vs. KUJALA final FU 77.2 ± 24.1; VAS pre-op 6.0 ± 3.1 vs. VAS final FU 3.44 ± 2.35; TEGNER pre-op 2.1 ± 2.0 vs. TEGNER final FU 3.6 ± 1.8; p < 0.001), and the outcomes remained stable at the final follow-up compared to the intermediate follow-up (p > 0.05). A total of 4 knees had at least one redislocation at the final follow-up, while 3 knees underwent total knee replacement surgery. The redislocation-survival rate at 5 years is 92%, meanwhile is 84% at 10 and 15 years. CONCLUSIONS: MPTL reconstruction produced good clinical results and a survival rate of 84% at a mean of 16 years follow-up and could be considered as associated procedure in case of patellofemoral instability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Registry-based cohort study comparing percentages of patients reaching PASS for knee function outcomes after revision ACLR compared to primary ACLR.

OBJECTIVES: Reaching the Patient-Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) threshold for the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) has previously been reported to successfully identify individuals experiencing clinical success after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Thus, the objectives of this study were to examine and compare the percentages of patients meeting PASS thresholds for the different KOOS subscales 1 year postoperatively after primary ACLR compared with revision ACLR (rACLR) and multiply revised ACLR (mrACLR), and second, to examine the predictors for reaching PASS for KOOS Quality of Life (QoL) and Function in Sport and Recreation (Sport/Rec) after mrACLR. DESIGN: Prospective observational registry study. SETTING: The data used in this study was obtained from the Swedish National Ligament Registry and collected between 2005 and 2020. PARTICIPANTS: The study sample was divided into three different groups: (1) primary ACLR, (2) rACLR and (3) mrACLR. Data on patient demographic, injury and surgical characteristics were obtained as well as mean 1-year postoperative scores for KOOS subscales and the per cent of patients meeting PASS for each subscale. Additionally, the predictors of reaching PASS for KOOS Sport/Rec, and QoL subscales were evaluated in patients undergoing mrACLR. RESULTS: Of the 22 928 patients included in the study, 1144 underwent rACLR and 36 underwent mrACLR. Across all KOOS subscales, the percentage of patients meeting PASS thresholds was statistically lower for rACLR compared with primary ACLR (KOOS Symptoms 22.5% vs 32.9%, KOOS Pain 84.9% vs 92.9%, KOOS Activities of Daily Living 23.5% vs 31.4%, KOOS Sport/Rec 26.3% vs 45.6%, KOOS QoL 26.9% vs 51.4%). Percentages of patients reaching PASS thresholds for all KOOS subscales were comparable between patients undergoing rACLR versus mrACLR. No predictive factors were found to be associated with reaching PASS for KOOS QoL and KOOS Sport/Rec 1 year postoperatively after mrACLR. CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing ACLR in the revision setting had lower rates of reaching acceptable symptom states for functional knee outcomes than those undergoing primary ACLR. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prospective observational registry study, level of evidence II.

Preliminary osteogenic and antibacterial investigations of wood derived antibiotic-loaded bone substitute for the treatment of infected bone defects.

Introduction: The development of reliable treatments for infected or potentially infected bone loss resulting from open fractures and non-unions is extremely urgent, especially to reduce the prolonged courses of antimicrobial therapy to which affected patients are subjected. Numerous bone graft substitutes have been used over the years, but there are currently no effective solutions to treat critical bone loss, especially in the presence of infection. The present study evaluated the use of the biomorphic calcium phosphate bone scaffold b. Bone™, based on a next-generation resorbable biomimetic biomaterial, in bone reconstruction surgery in cases of infection. Methods: Using an "in vitro 3D bone fracture model" to predict the behavior of this drug delivery system during critical bone loss at an infected (or potentially infected) site, the effects of scaffolds loaded with gentamicin or vancomycin on the viability and differentiation capacity of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were evaluated. Results: This scaffold, when loaded with gentamicin or vancomycin, exhibits a typical drug release curve that determines the inhibitory effects on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Escherichia coli, as well as relative biofilm formation. Discussion: The study demonstrates that b.bone scaffolds can effectively address key challenges in orthopedic surgery and patient care by inhibiting bacterial growth and biofilm formation through rapid, potent antibiotic release, reducing the risk of treatment failure due to resistance, and providing a promising solution for bone infections and improved patient outcomes. Future studies could explore the combination of different antibiotics on these scaffolds for more tailored and effective treatments against post-traumatic osteomyelitis pathogens.

Predictors of Long-term Patient-Reported Outcome Measures After Collagen Meniscal Implant for Partial Meniscal Defects.

Background: Collagen meniscal implant (CMI) is considered an effective procedure for reducing knee pain and improving knee function after previous meniscectomy. Nevertheless, the current knowledge regarding long-term patient reported-outcome measures after CMI is limited. Purpose: To evaluate clinical outcomes, reoperations, and failures of CMI at a minimum 10-year follow-up. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent CMI at a single institution were screened for eligibility. Inclusion criteria for the present study were (1) medial or lateral CMI; (2) isolated or combined procedure with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, knee osteotomy, or cartilage treatment; and (3) follow-up between 10 and 15 years. Demographics and surgical details were obtained via chart review. Patients were asked if they were satisfied with the procedure and were evaluated with the Lysholm score, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), visual analog scale for pain, and Tegner score at the final follow-up. Cases requiring partial or total scaffold removal for any reason (including scaffold breakage, infection, or surgery for osteoarthritis progression) were considered surgical failure. Survival analysis was performed with Kaplan-Meier curve, and clinical scores were analyzed based on the Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS). Results: A total of 92 patients (mean age, 42.2 years were included in the analysis. A significant improvement in all clinical scores was reported between the preoperative evaluation and the last follow-up. A chondropathy with Outerbridge grade ≥3 was associated with significantly overall lower clinical scores, while a timing from meniscectomy to CMI of ≥5 years determined more pain at rest and reduced Quality of Life in the KOOS subscale. No significant difference was found in terms of clinical scores between patients undergoing isolated and combined procedures. At the final follow-up, the mean Lysholm score was 76.3 points. In total, 12 cases (13%) were considered surgical failures. Sixteen patients (17%) did not reach PASS for the Lysholm score, with a total of 28 cases (30%) classified as clinical failures. Overall, 19% (KOOS Pain) and 40% (KOOS Symptoms) of patients did not achieve the PASS in the KOOS subscales. Chondropathy with Outerbridge grade ≥3 was associated with a higher risk of not achieving the PASS in all the KOOS subscales, while age at surgery of ≥45 years resulted in a lower risk of not achieving PASS in the Pain subscale. At the last follow-up, 63% of patients were still involved in sports activity, with 41% at the same or higher level. Finally, 80% of the patients were satisfied with the procedure. Conclusion: Up to 10 years after surgery, around 70% of the patients who underwent CMI reported satisfactory clinical results, with clinical subjective scores still higher compared with the preoperative evaluation. Overall, 30% of cases were considered clinical failures, with 13% considered surgical failures and 17% not meeting the PASS for the Lysholm score. In addition, cartilage status and time from meniscectomy were shown to have a negative impact on the outcomes, while an age ≥45 years was associated with less pain. There was no clinical difference between patients who underwent isolated CMI or combined procedures.

10-Year Survival and Clinical Improvement of Meniscal Allograft Transplantation in Early to Moderate Knee Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) is a viable option for patients experiencing unicompartmental knee pain after total or subtotal meniscectomy. Nonetheless, caution is recommended when suggesting this procedure in the presence of knee osteoarthritis (OA) because of the higher risk of poor survival and outcomes. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose was to document the long-term survival of MAT performed as a salvage procedure in patients with knee OA. The hypothesis was that MAT would significantly reduce pain and increase the function of the affected joint at a long-term follow-up compared with the preoperative condition, with a low number of failures and knee replacement surgeries. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: A total of 47 patients (37 men and 10 women) with symptomatic knee OA (Kellgren-Lawrence grades 2 or 3) treated with MAT were evaluated at baseline, 5 years, and a minimum 10-year final follow-up (11.1 ± 1 years) using the Lysholm score, the visual analog scale for pain, the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score subscales, and the Tegner score. A total of 44 patients had undergone previous surgeries. Patient satisfaction, revision surgeries, and failures were also recorded. RESULTS: A statistically significant improvement was observed in all clinical scores from the baseline assessment to the final follow-up. The Lysholm score improved significantly from 46.4 ± 17.2 at the preoperative assessment to 77.7 ± 20.4 at the intermediate follow-up (P < .001), with a significant decrease at the final follow-up (71 ± 23.3; P = .018). A similar trend was reported for the visual analog scale scale for pain, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and Tegner score, with no complete recovery to the previous sports activity level. A total of 33 patients required concurrent procedures, such as anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions, osteotomies, and cartilage procedures. Five patients underwent reoperation and were considered surgical failures, while 15 patients presented a clinical condition of <65 of the Lysholm score and were considered clinical failures. Among these, 4 patients were considered both surgical and clinical failures. CONCLUSION: MAT surgery has proven to be a valid option for improving pain and function even in OA joints (Kellgren-Lawrence grades 2 or 3), yielding satisfactory results despite a worsening clinical outcome in the long-term follow-up. Therefore, based on the data from this study, orthopaedic surgeons may consider recommending MAT as a salvage procedure even in knees affected by early to moderate OA, while advising patients that the need for combined interventions could potentially reduce graft survival.

A practical guide to the implementation of AI in orthopaedic research, Part 6: How to evaluate the performance of AI research?

Artificial intelligence's (AI) accelerating progress demands rigorous evaluation standards to ensure safe, effective integration into healthcare's high-stakes decisions. As AI increasingly enables prediction, analysis and judgement capabilities relevant to medicine, proper evaluation and interpretation are indispensable. Erroneous AI could endanger patients; thus, developing, validating and deploying medical AI demands adhering to strict, transparent standards centred on safety, ethics and responsible oversight. Core considerations include assessing performance on diverse real-world data, collaborating with domain experts, confirming model reliability and limitations, and advancing interpretability. Thoughtful selection of evaluation metrics suited to the clinical context along with testing on diverse data sets representing different populations improves generalisability. Partnering software engineers, data scientists and medical practitioners ground assessment in real needs. Journals must uphold reporting standards matching AI's societal impacts. With rigorous, holistic evaluation frameworks, AI can progress towards expanding healthcare access and quality. Level of Evidence: Level V.

Clinical Outcomes of Medial Meniscal Allograft Transplantation With or Without High Tibial Osteotomy: A Case-Control Study Up to 8 Years of Follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Satisfactory clinical results of meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) have been reported in recent years. However, it remains unclear whether the clinical outcomes of MAT when combined with an osteotomy are inferior to those of isolated MAT. PURPOSE: To compare the survival rates and clinical outcomes of patients who received isolated medial MAT with those of patients undergoing medial MAT combined with high tibial osteotomy (HTO). STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A total of 55 patients underwent arthroscopic medial MAT using the soft tissue technique and HTO (mean age, 41.3 ± 10.4 years; 9 female); after fuzzy case-control matching on demographics, 55 controls who underwent isolated medial MAT were also included. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method with surgical failure, clinical failure (Lysholm score, <65), and reoperation as endpoints. Subjective clinical scores were collected preoperatively and at the final follow-up. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 5.4 years, up to 8 years. All outcomes significantly improved at the last follow-up (P < .001). No differences were identified between MAT and MAT + HTO groups preoperatively and at the last follow-up (P > .05). At the final follow-up, 8 of 55 (14.5%) of the MAT + HTO patients and 9 of 55 (16.4%) of the MAT patients had a Lysholm score <65 (P = .885). Overall, 90% of the patients declared they would repeat the surgery regardless of the combined procedure. Surgical failure was identified in 6 of 110 (5.5%) patients: 5 of 55 (9.1%) in the MAT + HTO group and 1 of 55 (1.8%) in the MAT group (P = .093). Clinical failure was identified in 19 of 110 (17.3%) patients: 11 of 55 (20%) in the MAT + HTO group and 8 of 55 (14.5%) in the MAT group (P = .447). A significantly lower survivorship from surgical failure was identified in the MAT + HTO group (hazard ratio, 5.1; P = .049), while no differences in survivorship from reoperation and clinical failure were identified (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing medial MAT + HTO showed similar clinical results to patients undergoing isolated medial MAT at midterm follow-up, and thus a surgically addressed malalignment does not represent a contraindication for medial MAT. However, the need for a concomitant HTO is associated with a slightly higher failure rate over time.

Revealing the complexity of meniscus microvasculature through 3D visualization and analysis.

Three-dimensional information is essential for a proper understanding of the healing potential of the menisci and their overall role in the knee joint. However, to date, the study of meniscal vascularity has relied primarily on two-dimensional imaging techniques. Here we present a method to elucidate the intricate 3D meniscal vascular network, revealing its spatial arrangement, connectivity and density. A polymerizing contrast agent was injected into the femoral artery of human cadaver legs, and the meniscal microvasculature was examined using micro-computed tomography at different levels of detail and resolution. The 3D vascular network was quantitatively assessed in a zone-base analysis using parameters such as diameter, length, tortuosity, and branching patterns. The results of this study revealed distinct vascular patterns within the meniscus, with the highest vascular volume found in the outer perimeniscal zone. Variations in vascular parameters were found between the different circumferential and radial meniscal zones. Moreover, through state-of-the-art 3D visualization using micro-CT, this study highlighted the importance of spatial resolution in accurately characterizing the vascular network. These findings, both from this study and from future research using this technique, improve our understanding of microvascular distribution, which may lead to improved therapeutic strategies.

A practical guide to the implementation of artificial intelligence in orthopaedic research-Part 2: A technical introduction.

Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) present a broad range of possibilities in medical research. However, orthopaedic researchers aiming to participate in research projects implementing AI-based techniques require a sound understanding of the technical fundamentals of this rapidly developing field. Initial sections of this technical primer provide an overview of the general and the more detailed taxonomy of AI methods. Researchers are presented with the technical basics of the most frequently performed machine learning (ML) tasks, such as classification, regression, clustering and dimensionality reduction. Additionally, the spectrum of supervision in ML including the domains of supervised, unsupervised, semisupervised and self-supervised learning will be explored. Recent advances in neural networks (NNs) and deep learning (DL) architectures have rendered them essential tools for the analysis of complex medical data, which warrants a rudimentary technical introduction to orthopaedic researchers. Furthermore, the capability of natural language processing (NLP) to interpret patterns in human language is discussed and may offer several potential applications in medical text classification, patient sentiment analysis and clinical decision support. The technical discussion concludes with the transformative potential of generative AI and large language models (LLMs) on AI research. Consequently, this second article of the series aims to equip orthopaedic researchers with the fundamental technical knowledge required to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration in AI-driven orthopaedic research. Level of Evidence: Level IV.

Kinematics of 90° change of direction in young football players: Insights for ACL injury prevention from the CUTtheACL study on 6008 trials.

PURPOSE: To investigate the 90° change of direction (COD) task in an extensive cohort of competitive healthy football players within the CUTtheACL study and to provide normative values and differences between males and females for full-body kinematics based on two-dimensional (2D) video analysis and scoring system. METHODS: One-thousand-and-two competitive football (soccer) players (age 16.3 ± 2.8 years, 264 females) were prospectively enroled. Each player performed three preplanned 90° COD tasks per limb. The 2D evaluation was performed through objective measures (collected through three high-speed cameras) of frontal and sagittal plane joint kinematics at the cut initial foot contact (IC) and maximum knee flexion angle. A previously published scoring system was adopted to measure the movement quality of the COD task. The scoring system included five criteria (limb stability [LS], pelvis stability [PS], trunk stability [TS], shock absorption [SA], movement strategy [MS]) ranked from 0/2 (nonadequate) to 2/2 (adequate) with a maximum score of 10/10. Normative data were provided for all the variables; statistical differences between male and female players were investigated (p < 0.05). RESULTS: A total of 6008 valid attempts were included. Frontal plane knee projection angle (FPKPA) at initial contact was 24.4 ± 9.8° (95th percentile: FPKPA > 40°). The total score was ≤4/10 in 71.2% of the trials, the lowest subscores were LS and PS. Female players showed different movement patterns with lower hip and trunk flexion both at IC and maximum knee flexion angle (p < 0.01, ES = 0.41-0.64). Female players also showed worse scores than males in SA, MS and total score (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Female players seem more prone to stiffer lower limb strategy and greater pelvis-trunk frontal plane instability than males. Clinicians could adopt normative data and sex-specific differences in players' movement techniques to improve ACL injury risk mitigation protocols. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Promising results following derotational femoral osteotomy in patellofemoral instability with increased femoral anteversion: A systematic review on current indications, outcomes and complication rate.

Purpose: Patellofemoral joint instability (PFJI) can surgically be treated with a multitude of approaches, depending on the underlying pathology. In the presence of increased femoral anteversion, some authors have reported good results with a derotational distal femoral osteotomy (DeDFO). The purpose of the study was to investigate the indications, outcomes and complication rate of DeDFO for PFJI. Methods: A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) by searching Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases through 1 December 2023. Included were levels 1-4 clinical studies of skeletally mature patients undergoing a DeDFO for PFJI irrespective of concomitant procedures. Study characteristics, indications, radiological and clinical outcomes, surgical technique and concomitant procedures, re-dislocation and complication rate were all analysed, as was methodological quality. Results: A total of 12 studies including 310 patients (325 knees) were included. Three studies were cohort studies, all others were case series. The mean patient age across the studies was 22 years, and the mean follow-up was 29.4 months. Femoral anteversion cut-off was between 20° and 30°. Every study included at least one concurrent soft tissue, bony or combined procedure. Across all studies, one case of re-dislocation was reported (0.3%) and four implant or osteotomy-related complications (1.2%) were reported. All studies reported a statistically significant increase in clinical scores. Conclusion: This systematic review of DeDFO for patellofemoral instability in the presence of increased femoral anteversion demonstrates promising clinical results and an extremely low dislocation and complication rate. The heterogeneity of the cut-off in anteversion and concomitant procedures, especially tibial tubercle osteotomy with seemingly identical results, indicates the need for high-quality evidence for treating patellofemoral instability. Based upon this systematic review, we strongly recommend that DeDFO be added to the 'menu à la carte' of PFJI. Level of Evidence: Level III Systematic Review.

Unicompartmental osteoarthritis: High survival rate with a combined mechanical and biological salvage approach as alternative to metal resurfacing: Results at minimum 10 years of follow-up.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the long-term clinical results and failure rate of patients treated with complex salvage procedures using a combined mechanical and biological approach to address unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis (OA) and postpone the need for joint replacement. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients (40.3 ± 10.9 years old) affected by unicompartmental OA (Kellgren-Lawrence 3) in stable joints underwent a personalized surgical treatment depending on the specific requirements of the affected compartment, including high tibial osteotomy, osteochondral scaffold, meniscal scaffold and meniscal allograft transplantation. Patients were evaluated with the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Tegner scores before surgery, at 3 years and a minimum of 10 years of follow-up. RESULTS: A significant improvement was observed over time in all scores but worsened at the final follow-up. The IKDC subjective score improved from 46.9 ± 16.2 to 79.8 ± 16.4 at 3 years (p < 0.0005) and then decreased to 64.5 ± 21.4 (p = 0.001) at 12 years. A similar trend was confirmed for VAS and Tegner scores. Only two patients subsequently underwent knee arthroplasty, and nine more patients were considered clinical failure, for a cumulative surgical and clinical failure rate of 28.2% at the final follow-up. CONCLUSION: A personalized, joint-preserving, combined mechanical and biological approach, addressing alignment as well as meniscal and cartilage lesions, is safe and effective, providing a clinical benefit and delaying the need for arthroplasty in young patients affected by unicompartmental knee OA. At the final evaluation, the clinical improvement decreased, but more than two-thirds of the patients still benefited from this treatment at a long-term follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV case series.

Meniscal allograft transplantation: A matched-pair analysis reveals worse sport activity level but similar clinical improvement and survival in women compared to men.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess how gender might affect the clinical outcome and survival of meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT). METHODS: A total of 358 patients (23.2% women, 76.8% men) were treated with fresh-frozen nonirradiated allografts implantated arthroscopically using a single- or double-tunnel technique without bone plugs and peripheral suture to the capsule with 'all-inside' stitches. RESULTS: Patients were evaluated at baseline and 2-year follow-up with the Lysholm score, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain, the Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subscales and Tegner score. Women presented higher body mass index (p < 0.0005), poorer baseline VAS (p = 0.012), Lysholm score (p = 0.005), KOOS symptom (p = 0.034) and KOOS pain (p = 0.030), Tegner score (preinjury and basal, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.002, respectively), a lower number of previous (p = 0.039) and concurrent (p = 0.001) anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions and a higher number of concurrent procedures (p = 0.032) and distal femoral osteotomies (p = 0.024). Worse results were documented in women at 2 years, with lower Lysholm score (p = 0.024) and Tegner score (p = 0.007) and a lower clinical survival rate (p = 0.03) (67.5% vs. 82.2%) in the overall patient cohort. However, the matched-pair analysis only confirmed a lower Tegner score value at 2 years (p = 0.016), while underlying the interplay of sex, age and concomitant cartilage lesions in determining the clinical outcome. The analysis of this large series of patients affected by postmeniscectomy syndrome and treated with MAT revealed gender differences. CONCLUSION: While both genders benefited from a significant improvement, the female population presents more often with older age, concomitant cartilage lesions and a lower activity level, all factors contributing towards a lower clinical success after MAT. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, comparative study.

McLaughlin technique and humeral grafting provide similar results for treatment of reverse Hill-Sachs lesions: A systematic review.

Purpose: Various surgical treatments have been described for the treatment of reverse Hill-Sachs lesions (rHSls) sized between 20% and 50% in the case of posterior shoulder dislocation. The aim of this systematic review is to report the clinical and radiological outcomes of subscapularis or lesser tuberosity transfer (McLaughlin and modified procedures) compared to bone or osteochondral autograft or allograft. Methods: A systematic review was performed on five medical databases up to December 2022. The inclusion criteria were clinical studies of all levels of evidence describing clinical or radiological outcomes of either procedure. The assessment of the quality of evidence was performed with the Modified Coleman Score. Results: A total of 14 studies (five prospective and nine retrospective) were included. A total of 153 patients (155 shoulders, 78.4% male) with a mean age of 37.2 (22-79) years were reviewed at an average follow-up of 53.1 (7.1-294) months. No relevant difference was found for the clinical scores, range of motion, complications and redislocation rate between the two treatments. Radiological osteoarthritis (OA) was reported in 11% (10/87) in the McLaughlin group and in 21% (16/73) in the humeral reconstruction group. Conclusions: McLaughlin and anatomic humeral reconstruction lead to similar satisfactory clinical results and a low redislocation rate in the treatment of rHSls. Anatomic humeral reconstruction seems associated with an increased risk of OA progression. Level of Evidence: Level IV.

High survivorship rate and good clinical outcomes after high tibial osteotomy in patients with radiological advanced medial knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The role of valgus producing high tibial osteotomy (HTO) for the treatment of advanced knee osteoarthritis (OA) is still controversial. The aim of the current systematic review was to assess survivorship and patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) of high tibial osteotomy in patients with radiological advanced medial knee OA. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane and EMBASE database was performed in July 2023 in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to identify studies investigating the survivorship rate and PROMs of valgus-producing high tibial osteotomy in patients with advanced knee OA at x-ray assessment in the medial compartment at minimum-two-years follow up. Advanced radiological OA was defined as Kellgren Lawrence (K-L) ≥ 3 or Ahlbäch ≥ 2. Survivorship was defined as percentage of patients free of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at follow-up. Clinical interpretation of provided PROMs were performed according to minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and patient acceptable symptom state (PASS) target values reported in literature. Survivorship data and PROMs scores were extracted, and studies were stratified based on selected study features. The quality of included studies was assessed with modified Coleman score. RESULTS: A total of 18 studies, totalling 1296 knees with a mean age between 46.9 and 67 years old, were included. Average survivorship was of 74.6% (range 60 - 98.1%) at 10-years follow up. The subjective scoring systems showed good results according to MCID and PASS, and postoperative improvements were partially maintained until final follow-up. CONCLUSION: HTO is worth considering as treatment choice even in patients affected by radiological advanced medial knee osteoarthritis. Long term survivorship and good patient reported clinical outcomes could be expected in this population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV; systematic review of level III-IV studies.

Almost 79% survival rate at 10-year follow-up for the patellofemoral joint arthroplasty: An Italian prosthetic registry study.

PURPOSE: The aims of the present study were (1) to evaluate the survival of patellofemoral joint (PFJ) arthroplasty in a large cohort of patients using data obtained from an Italian regional arthroplasty registry and (2) to collect clinical outcomes of a subgroup of patients, with a minimum follow-up of 4 years. The hypotheses were that PFJ arthroplasty is a procedure that had good survival and clinical outcomes, not inferior to those reported in the literature for primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: The Register of Orthopaedic Prosthetic Implants (RIPO) of Emilia-Romagna (ER) (Italy) database was searched for the inclusion of all PFJ arthroplasties implanted between 2003 and 2019. PFJ arthroplasties were excluded if they were implanted in patients who lived outside of the ER. The survival information was extrapolated from the RIPO considering the partial or total revision of the implant as failure; moreover, a subgroup of patients was contacted and interviewed by telephone to collect clinical outcomes. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. The survival curve was calculated and plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: A total of 126 arthroplasties in 114 patients were included in the final analysis (mean age at surgery 60.1 ± 11.5 years old). The main causes of patellofemoral arthroplasty were primary osteoarthritis (88%) and posttraumatic arthritis (7%). The survival was 90.4 ± 30.6 and 78.8 ± 51.5 at 5 and 10 years of follow-up, respectively. At the latest follow-up, 23 implants failed (18.3%). The main cause of revision was osteoarthrosis progression (34.8%). A total of 44 patients were contacted by telephone to collect clinical outcomes: Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, functional Knee Society Score, Forgotten Joint Score and Oxford Knee Score. These patients reported good to excellent scores at a medium follow-up of 10.3 ± 4.7 years. CONCLUSIONS: The PFJ showed good survival and clinical outcomes and could be considered a valuable option for patients affected by isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

A comprehensive two-dimensional scoring system to assess the single-leg squat task in football players.

BACKGROUND: The single-leg squat (SLS) is a safe and widespread functional test commonly performed in the mid-stages of rehabilitation after severe knee injuries. The use of reliable objective measures has been advocated to improve the quality of SLS assessment. The aim of this study was to describe a qualitative whole-body scoring system based on two-dimensional (2D) video analysis during SLS test and validate it against three-dimensional (3D) kinetics and kinematics. METHODS: Thirty-four competitive football (soccer) players performed a series of SLS tasks. 3D kinematics and kinetics were collected through infrared cameras, and 2D video analysis was performed through a scoring system with sub-scores ranging from 0/2 (non-adequate movement) to 2/2 (adequate movement) based on frontal and lateral planes objective measurements. 3D kinematics and kinetics were grouped according to the results of the 2D evaluation and compared through the analysis of variance (P < 0.05). RESULTS: Higher hip adduction, hip internalrotation, and knee valgus collapse were found in trials rated 0/2 or 1/2 compared with theone rated 2/2 in the limb stability score. Hip flexion and hip/knee moment ratio were lower in those scoring 0/2 comparedwith those scoring 2/2 in the movement strategy criterion. A low total score was associated with higherknee valgus collapse and lower hip/knee extensor moment ratio. Compensatory strategieswere found in frontal plane scores. CONCLUSIONS: The 2D scoring system described was strongly associated with kinematics and kinetics from gold-standard 3D motion capture and might represent a valid tool to describe the movement quality of an SLS task.

Video Analysis of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Male Professional Basketball Players: Injury Mechanisms, Situational Patterns, and Biomechanics.

Background: Improving our understanding of the situations and biomechanics that result in an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in basketball players may support the design of more effective programs to mitigate the risk of injury. Purpose: To (1) describe the mechanisms, situational patterns, and gross biomechanics (kinematics) of ACL injuries in professional basketball matches using video analysis and (2) document the distribution of ACL injuries according to player position, phase of the match, and location on the court. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A total of 38 ACL injuries in professional male European basketball leagues from the 2013-2014 to 2019-2020 seasons were identified. There were 36 (95%) injury videos analyzed for injury mechanisms and situational patterns, while biomechanical analysis was possible in 32 cases. Overall, 3 independent reviewers evaluated each video. Data according to player position (n = 38), phase of the match (n = 38), and location on the court (n = 36) were evaluated. Results: More injuries occurred while attacking (n = 25 [69%]) than defending (n = 11 [31%]). There was 1 (3%) direct contact injury, 21 (58%) indirect contact injuries, and 14 (39%) noncontact injuries. Most injuries (83%) occurred during 3 main situations: offensive cut (n = 17 [47%]), landing from a jump (n = 8 [22%]), and defensive cut (n = 5 [14%]). Injuries generally involved knee flexion (with minimal hip/trunk flexion and reduced plantarflexion) in the sagittal plane and knee valgus loading in most cases (75%). A similar number of injuries occurred during the first (53%) and second (47%) halves of the match, with a higher prevalence in the second (37%) and fourth (34%) quarters. Half of the injuries occurred during the first 10 minutes of effective playing time. More injuries occurred in guards (58%), and 73% of all injuries occurred in the scoring zone. Conclusion: Indirect contact was the main injury mechanism found in male professional basketball players. The offensive cut was the most common situational pattern. Biomechanical analysis confirmed a multiplanar mechanism, with knee loading in the sagittal plane accompanied by dynamic valgus. More injuries occurred in the first 10 minutes of a player's effective playing time, within the scoring zone, and among guards.

Donor age has no relevant role in biomechanical properties of allografts used in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Surgeons generally consider the donor age as a factor that negatively influences the quality of allograft used in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, however, the available evidence does not clearly support this statement. The purpose of the study was to investigate if donor age influences the biomechanical properties of allografts used in ACL reconstruction. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted for all relevant articles using MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, and Cochrane Collaboration Library, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Studies including the analysis of the correlation between biomechanical properties of the allografts and donor age were selected. The role of donor age was labelled as 'none' if absent, 'higher' or 'lower' if the properties were higher or lower in older specimens with respect to younger. The correlation was defined as 'weak' or 'strong' according to each study definition. RESULTS: No conflicting role of donor age was reported for modulus of elasticity, load to failure, strain, stiffness and displacement. The only parameters where the significant results were consistent were the tensile strength and the stress (low or moderate correlations). When considering the tested samples with a donor's age <65 years, a significant role of age was reported in only four out of 13 groups of graft tested (patellar tendon, fascia lata, anterior tibialis tendon and posterior tibialis tendon). CONCLUSION: The current literature did not allow to state that the donor age negatively influences the biomechanical properties of allografts, making it impossible to identify a clear age cut-off value to exclude them from ACL reconstruction procedures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review.