Evaluation of Failed ACL Reconstruction: An Updated Review.

Failure rates among primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR) range from 3.2% to 11.1%. Recently, there has been increased focus on surgical and anatomic considerations which predispose patients to failure, including excessive posterior tibial slope (PTS), unaddressed high-grade pivot shift, and improper tunnel placement. The purpose of this review was to provide a current summary and analysis of the literature regarding patient-related and technical factors surrounding revision ACLR, rehabilitation considerations, overall outcomes and return to sport (RTS) for patients who undergo revision ACLR. There is a convincingly higher re-tear and revision rate in patients who undergo ACLR with allograft than autograft, especially amongst the young, athletic population. Unrecognized Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PLC) injury is a common cause of ACLR failure and current literature suggests concurrent operative management of high-grade PLC injuries. Given the high rates of revision surgery in young active patients who return to pivoting sports, the authors recommend strong consideration of a combined ACLR + Anterolateral Ligament (ALL) or Lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) procedure in this population. Excessive PTS has been identified as an independent risk factor for ACL graft failure. Careful consideration of patient-specific factors such as age and activity level may influence the success of ACL reconstruction. Additional technical considerations including graft choice and fixation method, tunnel position, evaluation of concomitant posterolateral corner and high-grade pivot shift injuries, and the role of excessive posterior tibial slope may play a significant role in preventing failure.

Distal Biceps Injuries.

Distal biceps tendon injuries typically occur from forced eccentric contraction against a heavy load and are more common in males than females. Most patients who rupture their distal biceps tendon undergo operative repair to minimize strength loss and fatigue. Single-incision and two-incision techniques have been developed in recent decades and achieve satisfactory outcomes. Cortical button and bone tunnel fixation demonstrate superior strength relative to suture anchors and interference screws for acute repairs. Patients who present late or who undergo surgery greater than 4 to 6 weeks from their injury are deemed chronic ruptures and may require autograft or allograft reconstruction.

Arthroscopic lysis of adhesions for the stiff total knee: results after failed manipulation.

Arthrofibrosis after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a potentially devastating complication, resulting in loss of motion and function and residual pain. For patients in whom aggressive physical therapy and manipulation under anesthesia fail, lysis of adhesions may be the only option to rescue the stiff TKA. The purpose of this study is to report the results of arthroscopic lysis of adhesions after failed manipulation for a stiff, cruciate-substituting TKA. This retrospective study evaluated patients who had undergone arthroscopic lysis of adhesions for arthrofibrosis after TKA between 2007 and 2011. Minimum follow-up was 12 months (average, 31 months). Average total range of motion of patients in this series was 62.3°. Average preoperative flexion contracture was 16° and average flexion was 78.6°. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t test. Pre- to postoperative increase in range of motion was significant (P<.001) (average, 62° preoperatively to 98° postoperatively). Average preoperative extension deficit was 16°, which was reduced to 4° at final follow-up. This value was also found to be statistically significant (P<.0001). With regard to ultimate flexion attained, average preoperative flexion was 79°, which was improved to 103° at final follow-up. This improvement in flexion was statistically significant (P<.0001). Patients can reliably expect an improvement after arthroscopic lysis of adhesions for a stiff TKA using a standardized arthroscopic approach; however, patients achieved approximately half of the improvement that was obtained at the time of surgery.

Knee sports injury is associated with an increased prevalence of unilateral knee replacement: a case-controlled study.

Injury to the knee during athletics is common and may limit future sports participation, but its long-term effects on patients are less well characterized. Examining the development of end-stage osteoarthritis (OA) in these patients may help better clarify this relationship. We hypothesize that sports-related knee injuries are associated with subsequent unilateral knee OA and need for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) relative to bilateral knee replacement. We present a single-hospital case-control study of 124 consecutive patients undergoing primary TKA over a 6-month period for end-stage OA. Patients were interviewed at the time of surgery using a standardized questionnaire to detect and characterize a history of athletic knee injury. The presence of contralateral knee arthritis based on preoperative assessment was noted for all patients. A control population was derived from patients with diagnosed or known bilateral OA undergoing TKA. Patients were all assessed for exposure to earlier sports or athletic injury. Prestudy power analysis and uni- and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. Of the 124 patients, 27 (22%) recorded a history of athletic knee injury. Evidence of bilateral significant knee OA was found in 73 patients and unilateral arthritis in 51 patients. Patients with unilateral OA were found to have an increased likelihood of previous athletic injury relative to those with bilateral disease (odds ratio: 6.08, p = 0.0001). There is a significant prevalence of sports-related injuries in patients with unilateral knee OA. This study suggests that patients with such injuries may develop arthritis via a different process, sports-related trauma, than patients with bilateral nontraumatic OA.

Complications in brief: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

When performing reconstruction of the ACL, the major complications that can arise include missed concomitant injuries, tunnel malposition, patellar fracture, knee stiffness, and infection. We review the complications that can occur as a result of errors made before, during, and after surgery.

Partial tears of the anterior cruciate ligament: diagnosis and treatment.

In sports medicine, diagnosis and treatment of partial tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) continue to be difficult. Partial tears of the ACL are common, representing 10% to 28% of all ACL tears. As our understanding of the anatomy of the native ACL improves, our accuracy in diagnosing these injuries increases. The advent of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and recognition of injury patterns have more clearly delineated the pathoanatomy in a majority of these cases. Natural history studies following patients with these injuries have demonstrated that fewer than 50% of patients return to their preinjury activity level. Several studies have also documented that progression to complete rupture is a common outcome for patients who want to return to an active lifestyle. Treatment options include conservative modalities (eg, activity modification, functional rehabilitation, functional bracing) and surgery (eg, thermal shrinkage of remaining ACL, complete reconstruction, newer techniques to augment or reconstruct the damaged portion of the native ligament). Studies comparing conservative treatments with more aggressive operative interventions are required to fully evaluate the efficacy of these treatments.

Patellofemoral instability in athletes: treatment via modified Fulkerson osteotomy and lateral release.

BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment of patellofemoral instability can successfully diminish episodes of subluxation and dislocation, as well as symptoms of pain and instability. HYPOTHESIS: Surgical treatment of lateral patellar instability in a strictly athletic population will facilitate return to sports. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: From 1999 to 2004, 41 Fulkerson osteotomies combined with an arthroscopic lateral release were performed in 34 athletes for patellofemoral instability. Three patients were lost to follow-up. All patients participated in sports at least 3 times per week in at least one sport for 4 months of the year. There were 4 male and 30 female patients; 7 patients underwent bilateral, staged procedures. There were 14 high school, 12 collegiate, and 8 recreational athletes. Results were obtained by an independent examiner. RESULTS: The mean age was 20.05 years (range, 14-54 years) with a mean follow-up of 46 months (range, 22-71 months). Patients averaged 1.3 dislocations before reconstruction (range, 0-6). The average Lysholm score was 91.8 (range, 67-100) at follow-up. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores were A (normal) in 27 knees, B (near normal) in 12, and C (abnormal) in 2. Seventeen patients had symptomatic hardware removed at an average of 8 months. There were 2 complications: one saphenous neuroma that resolved, and one recurrent dislocation in a patient later diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. CONCLUSION: This series is the largest to date documenting the successful treatment of patellofemoral instability in athletes with concomitant Fulkerson osteotomy and arthroscopic lateral release. Forty-nine percent of patients in our series required removal of screws from the osteotomy site.

Building a sports medicine team.

There have been a growing number of participants in high school and collegiate athletics in recent years, placing ever-increasing demands on the sports medicine team. Building a winning sports medicine team is equally as important to the success of an athletic organization as fielding talented athletes. Acquisition of highly qualified, motivated, and hard-working individuals is essential in providing high quality and efficient health care to the athlete. Maintaining open paths of communication between all members of the team is the biggest key to success and an optimal way to avoid confusion and pitfalls.