Quadriceps and hamstring anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction differ only marginally in function after the rehabilitation: a propensity score-matched case-control study.

PURPOSE: To determine potential quadriceps versus hamstring tendon autograft differences in neuromuscular function and return to sport (RTS)-success in participants after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS: Case-control study on 25 participants operated on with an arthroscopically assisted, anatomic ipsilateral quadriceps femoris tendon graft and two control groups of 25 participants each, operated on with a semitendinosus tendon or semitendinosus-gracilis (hamstring) tendon graft ACL reconstruction. Participants of the two control groups were propensity score matched to the case group based on sex, age, Tegner activity scale and either the total volume of rehabilitation since reconstruction (n = 25) or the time since reconstruction (n = 25). At the end of the rehabilitation (averagely 8 months post-reconstruction), self-reported knee function (KOOS sum scores), fear of loading the reconstructed knee during a sporting activity (RSI-ACL questionnaire), and fear of movement (Tampa scale of kinesiophobia) were followed by hop and jump tests. Front hops for distance (jumping distance as the outcome) were followed by Drop jumps (normalised knee joint separation distance), and concluded by qualitative ratings of the Balanced front and side hops. Between-group comparisons were undertaken using 95% confidence intervals comparisons, effect sizes were calculated. RESULTS: The quadriceps case group (always compared with the rehabilitation-matched hamstring graft controls first and versus time-matched hamstring graft controls second) had non-significant and only marginal higher self-reported issues during sporting activities: Cohen's d = 0.42, d = 0.44, lower confidence for RTS (d = - 0.30, d = - 0.16), and less kinesiophobia (d = - 0.25, d = 0.32). Small and once more non-significant effect sizes point towards lower values in the quadriceps graft groups in the Front hop for distance limb symmetry values in comparison to the two hamstring control groups (d = - 0.24, d = - 0.35). The normalised knee joint separation distance were non-significantly and small effect sized higher in the quadriceps than in the hamstring groups (d = 0.31, d = 0.28). CONCLUSION: Only non-significant and marginal between-graft differences in the functional outcomes at the end of the rehabilitation occurred. The selection of either a hamstring or a quadriceps graft type cannot be recommended based on the results. The decision must be undertaken individually. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Radiological changes do not influence clinical mid-term outcome in stemless humeral head replacements with hollow screw fixation: a prospective radiological and clinical evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Stemless shoulder arthroplasty is a fairly new concept. Clinical and radiological follow-up is essential to prove implant safety and concept. This prospective single-centre study was performed to evaluate the influence of radiological changes on clinical mid-term outcome following stemless humeral head replacement with hollow screw fixation. METHODS: Short- and mid-term radiological and clinical evaluations were performed in 73 consecutive shoulders treated mainly for idiopathic and posttraumatic osteoarthritis with stemless humeral head arthroplasty including 40 hemi- (HSA) and 33 total shoulder arthroplasties (TSA). Operating times of stemless implantations were compared to 110 stemmed anatomical shoulder prostheses. Appearances of humeral radiolucencies or radiological signs of osteolysis or stress shielding were assessed on standardized radiographs. Patients' clinical outcome was evaluated using the Constant score and patients' satisfaction was documented. RESULTS: Radiological changes, detected in 37.0%, did not affect clinical outcome. Constant scores significantly improved from baseline to short and mid-term follow-up (p < 0.001). The majority of patients (96.2%) were satisfied with the procedure. No loosening of the humeral head component was detected during a mean follow-up of 58 months. Operating times were significantly shorter with stemless compared to stemmed implants (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical mid-term outcome after stemless humeral head replacement was not affected by radiological changes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The institutional review board (St. Vincent Hospital Vienna; 201212_EK01; date of issue: 11.12.2012) approved the study. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT02754024 ). Retrospective registration.

Patient-specific instrumentation improved mechanical alignment, while early clinical outcome was comparable to conventional instrumentation in TKA.

PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective study was to compare early clinical outcome, radiological limb alignment, and three-dimensional (3D)-component positioning between conventional and computed tomography (CT)-based patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) in primary mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Two hundred ninety consecutive patients (300 knees) with severe, debilitating osteoarthritis scheduled for TKA were included in this study using either conventional instrumentation (CVI, n = 150) or PSI (n = 150). Patients were clinically assessed before and 2 years after surgery according to the Knee-Society-Score (KSS) and the visual-analog-scale for pain (VAS). Additionally, the Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and the Oxford-Knee-Score (OKS) were collected at follow-up. To evaluate accuracy of CVI and PSI, hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA) and 3D-component positioning were assessed on postoperative radiographs and CT. RESULTS: Data of 222 knees (CVI: n = 108, PSI: n = 114) were available for analysis after a mean follow-up of 28.6 ± 5.2 months. At the early follow-up, clinical outcome (KSS, VAS, WOMAC, OKS) was comparable between the two groups. Mean HKA-deviation from the targeted neutral mechanical axis (CVI: 2.2° ± 1.7°; PSI: 1.5° ± 1.4°; p < 0.001), rates of outliers (CVI: 22.2%; PSI: 9.6%; p = 0.016), and 3D-component positioning outliers were significantly lower in the PSI group. Non-outliers (HKA: 180° ± 3°) showed better clinical results than outliers at the 2-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: CT-based PSI compared with CVI improves accuracy of mechanical alignment restoration and 3D-component positioning in primary TKA. While clinical outcome was comparable between the two instrumentation groups at early follow-up, significantly inferior outcome was detected in the subgroup of HKA-outliers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prospective comparative study, Level II.

Active learning-assisted neutron spectroscopy with log-Gaussian processes.

Neutron scattering experiments at three-axes spectrometers (TAS) investigate magnetic and lattice excitations by measuring intensity distributions to understand the origins of materials properties. The high demand and limited availability of beam time for TAS experiments however raise the natural question whether we can improve their efficiency and make better use of the experimenter's time. In fact, there are a number of scientific problems that require searching for signals, which may be time consuming and inefficient if done manually due to measurements in uninformative regions. Here, we describe a probabilistic active learning approach that not only runs autonomously, i.e., without human interference, but can also directly provide locations for informative measurements in a mathematically sound and methodologically robust way by exploiting log-Gaussian processes. Ultimately, the resulting benefits can be demonstrated on a real TAS experiment and a benchmark including numerous different excitations.

Combined press-fit and extracortical fixation in patellar tendon anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction results in reliable graft fixation and early bone block incorporation.

BACKGROUND: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with bone-patellar-tendon-bone (BPTB) autograft has the potential biological advantage of direct bone-to-bone healing over soft tissue grafts. The primary aim of this study was to investigate possible graft slippage and therefore fixation strength in a modified BPTB autograft technique with suspensory fixation on both sides for primary ACL reconstruction until bony integration takes place. METHODS: Twenty-one patients undergoing primary ACL reconstruction with a modified BPTB autograft (bone-on-bone (BOB) technique) between August 2017 and August 2019 were included in this prospective study. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the affected knee was performed directly postoperatively, as well as 3 months postoperatively. Examiner-blinded parameters for graft slippage, early tunnel widening, bony incorporation, as well as remodeling of the autologous refilled patellar harvest site were investigated. RESULTS: A series of 21 patients treated with a BPTB autograft with this technique underwent two CT investigations. Comparison of CT scans showed no bone block displacement and therefore no graft slippage in the patient cohort. Only one patient showed signs of early tunnel enlargement. Radiological bone block incorporation took place showing bony bridging of the graft to the tunnel wall in 90% of all patients. Furthermore, 90% showed less than 1 mm bone resorption of the refilled harvest site at the patella. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest graft fixation stability and reliability of anatomic BPTB ACL reconstruction with a combined press-fit and suspensory fixation technique by absence of graft slippage within the first 3 months postoperatively.

Osteoarthritis Progression after ACL Reconstruction Was Significantly Higher Than That of the Healthy Contralateral Knees: Long-Term Follow Up Study of Mean 16.4 Years.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess long-term progression of osteoarthritis (OA) after isolated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in athletes compared to the healthy contralateral side. METHODS: The study included 15 patients and 30 knees with a mean age of 40 years (range, 35-46) years, none of whom had had revision surgery or an injury to the contralateral side. The mean follow-up period was 16.4 years (range, 13-22). Clinical and radiographic assessment included the Tegner activity scale (TAS), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grade. The long-term results of the injured knees were compared with the status of the healthy contralateral side and compared with previously published mid-term results of the same cohort of patients. RESULTS: Patients generally remained clinically asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic at final follow-up, which is reflected by a KOOS pain score of 33 points (maximum 36 points) and an IKDC total subjective score of 87% (maximum 100%). There was a significant difference between mid-term and final follow-up in terms of the function score of the IKDC subjective questionnaire (p = 0.031), compartment findings and donor site morbidity of the IKDC functional examination (both p = 0.034), and the total KOOS score (p = 0.047). The KL score indicated significant progression of OA from mid-term to final follow-up in the injured knees (p = 0.004) and healthy contralateral knees (p = 0.014). Mean OA grades of the injured knees were significantly higher compared with the healthy contralateral side (p = 0.006) at final follow-up, and two patients showed moderate to severe signs of OA in the injured knee. CONCLUSIONS: Although most patients remained clinically asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, long-term progression of OA after isolated ACL reconstruction in athletes was significantly higher compared with the healthy contralateral knee.

Separation of the inelastic and elastic scattering in time-of-flight mode on the pinhole small-angle neutron scattering diffractometer K-WS-2.

To study and control the incoherent inelastic background in small-angle neutron scattering, which makes a significant contribution to the detected scattering from hydrocarbon systems, the KWS-2 small-angle neutron scattering diffractometer operated by the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at Heinz-Maier Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Garching, Germany, was equipped with a secondary single-disc chopper that is placed in front of the sample stage. This makes it possible to record in time-of-flight mode the scattered neutrons in the high-Q regime of the instrument (i.e. short incoming wavelengths and detection distances) and to discard the inelastic component from the measured data. Examples of measurements on different materials routinely used as standard samples, sample containers and solvents in the experiments at KWS-2 are presented. When only the elastic region of the spectrum is used in the data-reduction procedure, a decrease of up to two times in the incoherent background of the experimentally measured scattering cross section may be obtained. The proof of principle is demonstrated on a solution of bovine serum albumin in D2O.

Bone-on-Bone Anatomic Patellar Tendon Graft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Reproducible Technique Combining Press-Fit and Extracortical Fixation.

Scientific interest in optimizing outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is ongoing, and some recent developments have focused on graft shape as one of the most important factors of anatomic graft placement. The double-bundle or fanlike structure of the native ACL seems to more closely restore normal function and control of rotational stability of the knee with implant-free or press-fit techniques, creating a favorable situation in terms of direct graft-tunnel healing. The ACL reconstruction technique presented in this article enables safe, reproducible, and anatomic fixation of the patellar tendon autograft, providing the biological and biomechanical benefits of direct bony integration of the ribbonlike bone-patellar tendon-bone graft. Because press-fit fixation represents a technically challenging surgical procedure, the goal of the described technique is to enable direct bone-to-bone healing by using secondary extracortical femoral and tibial fixation without the need for a true press-fit situation. Safe and anatomic femoral tunnel drilling is achieved with an outside-in technique (retrograde drilling), hence providing advantages in the routine clinical setting in terms of applicability and time effort. To reduce donor-site morbidity caused by bone block harvesting, refilling of the harvest sites with autologous material is performed.

Patient-specific instrumentation improved three-dimensional accuracy in total knee arthroplasty: a comparative radiographic analysis of 1257 total knee arthroplasties.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare restoration of mechanical limb alignment and three-dimensional component-positioning between conventional and patient-specific instrumentation in total knee arthroplasty. METHODS: Radiographic data of patients undergoing mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty (n = 1257), using either conventional (n = 442) or patient-specific instrumentation (n = 812), were analyzed. To evaluate accuracy of axis restoration and 3D-component-positioning between conventional and patient-specific instrumentation, absolute deviations from the targeted neutral mechanical limb alignment and planned implant positions were determined. Measurements were performed on standardized coronal long-leg and sagittal knee radiographs. CT-scans were evaluated for accuracy of axial femoral implant rotation. Outliers were defined as deviations from the targeted neutral mechanical axis of > ± 3° or from the intraoperative component-positioning goals of > ± 2°. Deviations greater than ± 5° from set targets were considered to be severe outliers. RESULTS: Deviations from a neutral mechanical axis (conventional instrumentation: 2.3°± 1.7° vs. patient-specific instrumentation: 1.7°± 1.2°; p < 0.001) and numbers of outliers (conventional instrumentation: 25.8% vs. patient-specific instrumentation: 10.1%; p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the patient-specific instrumentation group. Significantly lower mean deviations and less outliers were detected regarding 3D-component-positioning in the patient-specific instrumentation compared to the conventional instrumentation group (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patient-specific instrumentation prevented from severe limb malalignment and component-positioning outliers (> ± 5° deviation). Use of patient-specific instrumentation proved to be superior to conventional instrumentation in achieving more accurate limb alignment and 3D-component positioning, particularly regarding femoral component rotation. Furthermore, the use of patient-specific instrumentation successfully prevented severe (> 5° deviation) outliers.

The high-intensity option of the SANS diffractometer KWS-2 at JCNS - characterization and performance of the new multi-megahertz detection system.

A new detection system based on an array of 3He tubes and innovative fast detection electronics has been installed on the high-intensity small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) diffractometer KWS-2 operated by the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at the Heinz Meier-Leibnitz Zentrum in Garching, Germany. The new detection system is composed of 18 eight-pack modules of 3He tubes that work independently of one another (each unit has its own processor and electronics). To improve the read-out characteristics and reduce the noise, the detection electronics are mounted in a closed case on the rear of the 3He tubes' frame. The tubes' efficiency is about 85% (for λ = 5 Å) and the resolution slightly better than 8 mm. The new detection system is characterized by a dead-time constant of 3.3 µs per tube and an overall count rate as high as 6 MHz at 10% dead-time loss. Compared with the old detector this is an improvement by a factor of 60. The much higher count rate will shorten the measurement times and thus increase the number of experiments possible in a given time period by the optimal use of the high flux of up to 2 × 108 n cm-2 s-1 at the sample position. Combined with the event-mode operation capability, this will enable new scientific opportunities in the field of structural investigations of small soft-matter and biological systems. The implementation of the detector in the high-intensity concept on KWS-2, its characterization and its performance based on test experiments are reported in this paper.

Studying Soft-matter and Biological Systems over a Wide Length-scale from Nanometer and Micrometer Sizes at the Small-angle Neutron Diffractometer KWS-2.

The KWS-2 SANS diffractometer is dedicated to the investigation of soft matter and biophysical systems covering a wide length scale, from nm to µm. The instrument is optimized for the exploration of the wide momentum transfer Q range between 1x10-4 and 0.5 Å-1 by combining classical pinhole, focusing (with lenses), and time-of-flight (with chopper) methods, while simultaneously providing high-neutron intensities with an adjustable resolution. Because of its ability to adjust the intensity and the resolution within wide limits during the experiment, combined with the possibility to equip specific sample environments and ancillary devices, the KWS-2 shows a high versatility in addressing the broad range of structural and morphological studies in the field. Equilibrium structures can be studied in static measurements, while dynamic and kinetic processes can be investigated over time scales between minutes to tens of milliseconds with time-resolved approaches. Typical systems that are investigated with the KWS-2 cover the range from complex, hierarchical systems that exhibit multiple structural levels (e.g., gels, networks, or macro-aggregates) to small and poorly-scattering systems (e.g., single polymers or proteins in solution). The recent upgrade of the detection system, which enables the detection of count rates in the MHz range, opens new opportunities to study even very small biological morphologies in buffer solution with weak scattering signals close to the buffer scattering level at high Q. In this paper, we provide a protocol to investigate samples with characteristic size levels spanning a wide length scale and exhibiting ordering in the mesoscale structure using KWS-2. We present in detail how to use the multiple working modes that are offered by the instrument and the level of performance that is achieved.