The optimized tourniquet versus no tourniquet in total knee arthroplasty. Analysis of muscle injury, functional recovery, and knee strength.

Background: Tourniquet is widely used in total knee replacement surgery because it reduces intraoperative hemorrhage and provides a comfortable surgical area for the surgeon. It's possible that its use could lead to impaired postoperative functional and motor recovery, as well as local and systemic complications. Our goal was to compare the outcomes of total knee replacement without ischemia using an optimized protocol, consisting of tourniquet inflation before skin incision and deflation after cementing, with a pressure of one hundred millimeters above systolic blood pressure and without postoperative articular suction drains.). We believed that tourniquet effectively would result in no additional muscle damage and no functional or knee strength impairment compared to no tourniquet. Methods: In a prospective and randomized study, 60 patients with osteoarthritis were evaluated for total knee replacement, divided in two groups: 'without tourniquet' and 'optimized tourniquet'. Outcomes were mean creatine phosphokinase levels, Knee Society Score and knee isokinetic strength. Data were considered significant when p < 0.05. Results: Creatine phosphokinase levels and functional score were similar between groups. There were no differences between groups regarding knee extension strength on the operated limbs, although the knee flexors' peak torque in the operated limb in the optimized tourniquet group was significantly higher at 6 months relative to preoperative and 3 months assessments. Conclusions: The optimized tourniquet protocol use in total knee replacement combines the benefits of tourniquet use without compromising functional recovery and without additional muscle damage and strength deficits compared to surgery without its use.

Continuous Vertical Inside-Out Versus Traditional Vertical Inside-Out Meniscal Repair: A Biomechanical Comparison.

Background: Biomechanical assessment of meniscal repairs is essential for evaluating different meniscal suturing methods and techniques. The continuous meniscal suture technique is a newer method of meniscal repair that may have biomechanical differences compared with traditional techniques. Purpose: To evaluate the displacement, stiffness after cyclical loading, and load to failure for a continuous vertical inside-out meniscal suture versus a traditional vertical inside-out meniscal suture in a porcine medial meniscus. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A total of 28 porcine knees were acquired and divided into 2 test groups of 14 medial meniscus each. A 2.0-cm longitudinal red-white zone cut was made in the body of the medial meniscus for each knee. The continuous suture (CS) group received 4 vertical stitches performed with a continuous vertical meniscal suture technique, and the inside-out suture (IO) group received a traditional vertical suture with 4 stitches. Two traction tapes were passed between the sutures and positioned in the biomechanical testing fixture device. Each specimen underwent load-to-failure testing at 5 mm/s, and displacement, system stiffness, and maximum load to failure were compared between the groups. Results: The displacement after the cyclic test was 0.53 ± 0.12 and 0.48 ± 0.07 mm for the CS and IO groups, respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups (P = .2792). The stiffness at the ultimate load testing was 36.3 ± 1.9 and 35.3 ± 2.4 N/mm for groups CS and IO, respectively, with no significant difference between the groups (P = .2557). In the load-to-failure test, the ultimate load was 218.2 ± 63.9 and 238.3 ± 71.3 N in the CS and IO groups, respectively, with no significant group differences (P = .3062). Conclusion: A continuous vertical meniscal suture created a configuration for treating longitudinal meniscal lesions that was beneficial and biomechanically similar to a traditional vertical suture technique. Clinical Relevance: The study findings indicate that use of the continuous vertical inside-out meniscal suture technique is a possible therapeutic option.

Onlay Technique for Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: The Paccola's Technique.

The primary function of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is to restrict the posterior translation of the tibia, and its secondary function is to limit the tibial external rotation, mainly at 90° and 120° of knee flexion. The prevalence of PCL rupture ranges between 3% and 37% of patients with knee ligament tears. This ligament injury often is associated with other ligament injuries. Surgical treatment is recommended for acute PCL injuries associated with knee dislocations or when stress radiographs show a tibial posteriorization greater than or equal to 12 mm. The techniques classically described for the surgical treatment are inlay and transtibial, which can be performed in a single- or double-bundle fashion. Biomechanical studies suggest that the double-bundle technique is superior to the single femoral bundle, suggesting less postoperative laxity. However, such superiority has not yet been proven in clinical studies. This paper will describe the step-by-step technique for PCL surgical reconstruction. The tibial fixation of the PCL graft is performed by using a screw and spiked-washer, and the femoral fixation can be done with a single- or double-bundle technique. We will explain the surgical steps in detail, with tips to perform them simply and safely.

Predictive and protective factors for allogenic blood transfusion in total knee arthroplasty. A retrospective cohort study.

Background: This study aimed to identify the predictive and protective factors of blood transfusion in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and therefore determine the profile of patients with low and high risk of blood transfusion after arthroplasty. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study with all patients who underwent primary TKA between January 2017 and December 2019 (n = 1.028 patients) in our institution. Information about allogenic transfusion was collected from medical records to determine the incidence, the predictive and protective factors of blood transfusion. All cases of blood transfusions were documented as well the number of units and the moment of each transfusion. We performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to identify the independent risk and protective factors. Results: The total transfusion rate was 11%, 1.1% at intraoperative and 9,9% at postoperative period. The independent risk factors for transfusion were female gender (OR 1.64), older age (>55yo, OR > 2) higher surgical risk (ASA III, OR 3.07), lower preoperative hemoglobin levels (p = 0.024), post-traumatic arthritis (OR 4.11) and use of postoperative drains (OR 1.81) The protective factors for transfusion were male gender (OR 0.60), obesity (IMC >30, OR 0.60) and use of intravenous tranexamic acid intraoperatively (OR 0.40). Conclusions: We conclude that in addition to the well-established risk factors for blood transfusion such as advanced age, low hemoglobin levels and high surgical risk, we can add post-fracture arthroplasty, non-use of tranexamic acid and the use of postoperative joint drain.

Osteochondral Allograft Transplant for Combined Medial and Lateral Patellar Cartilage Lesions: The Osteochondral Wide Lesion (OWL) Technique.

Symptomatic articular cartilage injuries are often seen in young active patients and athletes. Magnetic resonance imaging screening examinations have frequently identified such lesions in athletic patients. Patellofemoral chondral defects were previously identified as the most common knee cartilage lesion in high-level athletes. Chondral defects measuring 2 cm2 or greater and complex cartilage defects involving bone loss are ideally replaced with fresh osteochondral allograft. We describe a technique indicated for patients with symptomatic and recurrent anterior knee pain associated with osteochondral patellar defects including the lateral and medial patellar facets. Patients who have undergone previous interventions, including membrane techniques, microfracture, or autologous chondral transplantation, without clinical benefit are also eligible to undergo osteochondral allograft transplantation for combined medial and lateral patellar cartilage lesions, that is, the osteochondral wide lesion (OWL) technique.

Treatment of Distal Patellar Tendon Chronic Rupture: The X-Wave Technique.

Injuries to the patellar tendon (PT) are associated with knee function deterioration and loss of the capacity to perform daily and sports activities. Patellar tendon injury is often misdiagnosed at emergency rooms, leading to chronic proximal retraction and a challenging clinical scenario. Proximal PT injuries are more common, while distal ones, which can involve tibial bone avulsion fractures or direct tendon avulsion, are rarer. The low incidence of distal PT rupture and the variety of injury patterns make a personal approach reasonable when based on the intraoperative findings and the surgeon's experience. Our purpose is to describe a surgical technique to restore the knee extensor mechanism after chronic distal PT rupture using two kinds of graft, one as a waveform augmentation of the native tendon and the other as reinforcement in a letter X aspect.

Posterior-Medial Meniscal Root Repair Through Lateral Tibial Tunnel Combined With Medial Opening Osteotomy and Homologous Graft.

When there is a rupture in the meniscal roots or close to them, the menisci suddenly and considerably reduce their capacity to absorb the axial mechanical load that passes through the knee, quickly leading to the development of a process of chondral degeneration. The varus deformity of the lower limb (when the mechanical axis crosses the medial compartment of the knee) favors this type of injury owing to the overload in the medial compartment. When the patient has both varus deformity and medial meniscal posterior root injury, there is a clear indication for surgical realignment of the affected lower limb. There is still not a consensus regarding combining meniscal root repair with corrective osteotomy, although there is a tendency to perform both procedures aiming at long-term joint preservation. We present a safe alternative technique for simultaneous medial meniscal posterior root repair using a lateral tibial transosseous tunnel associated with a valgus-producing high tibial osteotomy with homologous bone grafting, allowing a full return to daily activities and sports.

Pulsed Radiofrequency Rhizotomy of the Genicular Nerves of the Knee Guided by Radioscopy and Ultrasonography: Step-By-Step Technique.

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is highly prevalent and causes pain, stiffness, and harms the quality of life of millions of patients. Scientific evidence about radiofrequency ablation or rhizotomy of genicular nerves has been presented with increasing frequency in the literature for the treatment of chronic pain related to knee OA as an alternative to total knee arthroplasty. The main indication for this procedure is symptomatic OA unresponsive to conservative treatment, regardless of the disease evolution, although more common indications are in Kellgren-Lawrence grade III or IV, in post-total knee arthroplasty residual pain without an identified cause, in patients with comorbidities and high surgical risk, and those who do not want to undergo surgery. The aim of this study is to describe the step-by-step rhizotomy technique with pulsed radiofrequency of the 3 genicular nerves, guided by radioscopy and ultrasonography.

Continuous Meniscal Suture in Radial Meniscal Tear: The Hourglass Technique.

The key to preventing early knee osteoarthritis is meniscal preservation. The main functions of the meniscus are impact absorption, mechanical load transmission, lubrication, joint stability, and proprioception. Radial lesions that extend to the joint capsule are called complete radial tears. This type of injury compromises 2 of the main meniscal functions, which are impact absorption and load distribution, which is equivalent, from a biomechanical perspective, to a total meniscectomy. In the recent past, the treatment of choice for this type of injury was partial meniscectomy. However, several studies have observed progressive joint degeneration after this type of treatment. Recently, different types of meniscal sutures involving radial lesions of the meniscus have been developed. It is believed that such repairs may bring a decrease in future osteoarthritis in this patient profile. The purpose of this article is to describe the steps of continuous meniscal suture for the treatment of radial tears of the medial and lateral menisci.

How to Create an Arthroscopy Training Laboratory Using a Bovine Knee Model.

Orthopaedic surgeries by video arthroscopy have become increasingly popular, as they allow joint treatment through small incisions and minimal tissue damage. However, their execution requires specific skills from the surgeon, different from open surgery, which can only be achieved through practical training. These skills would be ideally performed on human cadaveric anatomical pieces which, however, can be difficult to access for different reasons. Animal anatomical models for surgical skills training have been used for years in medicine, and we observed that the bovine knee has anatomical characteristics quite similar to that of the human knee. In this study, we explain, step by step, the installation and creation of an arthroscopy laboratory with a bovine model, in an effort to contribute to several training centers in arthroscopic surgery around the world, assisting and guiding such centers to install arthroscopy laboratories and facilitating the improvement of more surgeons.

Posterior Root Repair of Medial Meniscus Combined With Valgus Opening Wedge Tibial Osteotomy.

The medial meniscal root tear, a particular meniscal injury at the level of its posterior bone insertion, leads to a loss of impact absorption and load distribution capacity, similar to total meniscectomy. Therefore, its repair is fundamental for knee joint longevity. This type of injury often occurs in middle-aged patients with lower limbs varus malalignment, which results in mechanical overloading of the medial compartment and induces premature cartilage wear out. The success of meniscal root repair, with meniscal bone reinsertion, depends on the correction and realignment of varus deformities greater than 5° for physiological levels. In this situation, corrective tibial osteotomy combined with meniscal repair is indicated. Our goal is to describe the step-by-step technique of the valgus opening wedge tibial osteotomy combined with the arthroscopic reinsertion of the posterior meniscal root in tibia during the treatment of a patient with varus deformity and medial meniscus root tear.

Stress Radiography for Multiligament Knee Injuries: A Standardized, Step-by-Step Technique.

Physical examination in the presence of a multiligament knee injury can be complex and challenging. Hence, stress radiography is a useful and inexpensive tool that is widely used in the assessment of this type of injury. It guarantees an objective analysis of the magnitude of knee instability, which may reduce the observer's interpretation bias in relation to the physical examination. However, for the radiographic analysis to be reproducible, it is necessary to standardize the technique to evaluate each of the main knee ligaments. This article aims to describe in detail how to perform stress radiography to assess the sufficiency of the posterior cruciate ligament and collateral ligaments in the context of a multiligament injury.

Outside-in Continuous Meniscal Suture Technique of the Knee.

The meniscus is largely responsible for the health and longevity of the knee. It has diverse functions, being fundamental in load absorption and distribution and even in joint stability. To preserve meniscal functions and prevent the occurrence of osteoarthritis after meniscectomy, several meniscal repair techniques have been developed. To perform meniscal repair in anterior horn, the outside-in technique is the most used. There are few devices for performing them, with most of the surgical techniques described using needles. Our group uses a device capable of performing meniscal repair in different ways. Our objective is to describe a continuous outside-in meniscal repair technique, especially indicated for anterior horn and meniscus body tears, with the "Meniscus 4-All suture device." The continuous outside-in meniscal suture technique using this device is easy to perform, inexpensive, fast, and reproducible, minimizing the risk of soft-tissue entrapment. In addition, it allows the surgeon to perform meniscal repair in the posterior horn in extensive injuries with the same repair device, just switching to inside-out technique.

Vertical Continuous Meniscal Suture Technique.

Meniscal injuries are common in the population, representing the major cause of functional impairment in the knee. Vertical longitudinal injuries of the meniscus can be stable or unstable. When extensive, they are commonly unstable and can lead to clinical signs of significant functional disability. Vertical longitudinal injuries have the best prognosis for repair, especially when occurring in the meniscal periphery, called the red-red zone. A recently developed type of meniscal suture device called Meniscus 4 A-II enables the surgeon to perform a meniscal suture from the inside-out continuously, reducing surgical time. Because it allows the surgeon to use a single and inexpensive device to repair the entire injury, costs are significantly reduced. Here, an approach to carry out continuous meniscal repair with vertical sutures is described. This technique warrants excellent stability to the meniscal repair, increasing the chances of a successful outcome. We believe that the popularization of the repair technique from the inside out using the Meniscus 4-All device will help many surgeons around the world save menisci that otherwise would have a great chance of being excised, since it is a cheap, reproducible, and easy-to-handle device.

Posterior Meniscal Root Repair Using a Meniscal Suture Device.

A greater understanding of the deleterious consequences that a meniscal root tear brings to the knee joint and how its surgical repair can be advantageous over the previously used treatment strategies brings the need for the development of surgical techniques that make the procedure less complex and more reproducible. When meniscal root rupture occurs, a mechanical overload occurs in the affected compartment similar to a total meniscectomy. Several authors have concluded that meniscal root reinsertion significantly improves postoperative outcomes and patient satisfaction, regardless of age or laterality of the meniscal injury. The Meniscus 4 A-II device (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) allows stitching at the root of the medial and lateral menisci. In this article, we describe the surgical repair technique for posterior-medial and -lateral meniscal root tears using this meniscal suture device. This technique is fast and effective.

Continuous Meniscal Suture Technique of the Knee.

The menisci are fibroelastic structures interposed between the articular surfaces of the femur and tibia. They absorb impact and transmit load. Meniscal injury may compromise function and cause rapid joint degeneration, leading to the development of secondary osteoarthritis. Surgical treatment of meniscal injury is usually performed by arthroscopy, and meniscectomy or meniscal suture may be associated with such treatment. Meniscal suture should be considered when the injury compromises the proper functioning of the meniscus to recover its anatomy and function. Different meniscal suture techniques exist; the most widely used are the inside-out, outside-in, and all-inside techniques. The gold-standard repair technique is the inside-out technique. A drawback of this technique is the need to alternate between intra- and extra-articular structures for every stitch, which makes it even more laborious. We describe the continuous meniscal suture technique, also called "meniscal stitching," for a medial meniscal bucket-handle injury. This technique is performed from the inside out and allows the surgeon to perform multiple stitches with the same thread quickly and effectively. This surgical technique is performed using a single meniscal suture device that was developed by our group, called the "Meniscus 4 A-II" device.

How to Perform a Giant Parameniscal Cyst Exeresis: Step by Step Technique.

Parameniscal cysts are usually small cystic lesions, less than 2 cm in size, found along the meniscal periphery. They are rarely associated with extra-articular palpable mass. Magnetic resonance imaging is the diagnostic method of choice; giant meniscal cysts (>5 cm at its greatest diameter) are very rare, with few cases described in the literature. We describe a step-by-step open exeresis and arthroscopic meniscal suture technique for the treatment of a 9-cm giant parameniscal cyst located on the lateral side of the knee. Treatment of giant meniscal lesions requires caution during dissection and exeresis. Because acute meniscal lesions benefit from meniscal suture rather than meniscectomy, horizontal degenerative lesions may also present excellent results with repair techniques. We conclude that the combination of the open excision of the giant cyst with careful dissection and protection of neurovascular structures, combined with the arthroscopic meniscal suture, is a good strategy to approach such lesions.

Modified Lemaire Lateral Tenodesis Associated With an Intra-articular Reconstruction Technique With Bone-Tendon-Bone Graft Using an Adjustable Fixation Mechanism.

The goal of this study was to report a surgical technique used in a revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction case, consisting of an adaptation of the anterolateral iliotibial band tenodesis technique (modified Lemaire technique) combined with ACL reconstruction using an adjustable fixation mechanism. Rotational overload was one of the most likely hypotheses for failure of primary surgery, despite correct positioning and secure fixation. We performed a review of the most pertinent factors related to ACL reconstruction failure, as well as surgical strategies for its treatment. After this, we described, step by step, a combination of the 2 forms of surgical intervention that were already presented isolated with good clinical results, correcting the common anterior and rotational instabilities found in these cases. Knowing new techniques for intra- and extra-articular ligament reconstruction is imperative in the present day, when more patients are seeking a full return to their preinjury recreational, labor, and sports activities. We believe that the combination of these surgical techniques is able to achieve these goals effectively and reproducibly.