Evidence-Based Rationale for Ankle Cartilage Allograft Replacement: A Systematic Review of Clinical Outcomes.

The treatment of ankle arthritis remains controversial. Ankle cartilage allograft replacement is a novel and complex procedure. Many clinical studies have shown some level of promise, as well complications. We performed a systematic review of the clinical outcomes to describe and assess the different techniques and clinical outcomes for ankle cartilage allograft replacement. We performed a review of the published studies using MEDLINE(®) by way of PubMed(®) and Google Scholar(®) from January 2000 through October 2014, ranging from case reports to clinical studies. The inclusion criteria consisted of ankle cartilage allograft procedures with objective findings and clinical outcome scoring and complication and fusion rates and excluded nonallograft synthetic graft techniques, bone substitutes or expanders, review reports, and technique instructional manuals. Evidence with the combination of objective findings and clinical outcomes for all 3 type of allograft replacement (osteochondral, unipolar, and bipolar) is lacking. Several techniques for cartilage fixation have been described, including absorbable and metallic fixation. Most of the studies reported many occurrences and a variety of complications. A myriad of techniques for ankle cartilage allograft replacement exists. The results from the present systematic review of the published studies appear promising; however, the lack of statistical power and inconsistent documentation made it difficult to determine the superiority of any one intervention compared with another for the treatment of ankle arthritis.

Episiotomy-assisted Incarcerated Femoral Nail Removal: Technical Note.

Introduction: Incarceration of intramedullary nails can pose a significant challenge. There are many reported techniques of nail removal, but when these fail, it can be difficult to determine how to proceed. Here, it is shown that a proximal femoral episiotomy can be used with great effect. Case Report: 64-year-old male developed hip arthritis. The patient had a solid antegrade femoral nail placed 22 years ago that required removal for a hip arthroplasty. A proximal femoral episiotomy-assisted approach was used with good results and patient outcome. Conclusion: There are several well described techniques to assist with incarcerated nail removal that all trauma surgeons should be familiar with. Proximal femoral episiotomy is a useful technique, every surgeon should have in their arsenal.

Isolated Vastus Lateralis Rupture and Repair Using Suture Anchor Technique.

INTRODUCTION: This is a case report of an isolated vastus lateralis rupture identified by MRI and treated successfully with surgical repair. Case Presentation. A 50-year-old male recreational weightlifter who sustained an isolated vastus lateralis rupture while dead lifting and underwent surgical repair using a suture anchor fixation. CONCLUSION: An isolated vastus lateralis rupture is a rare injury that may be successfully treated with surgical repair allowing return to preinjury activities.

Improvement in Postoperative Pain Control and Length of Stay With Peripheral Nerve Block Prior to Distal Radius Repair.

Distal radius repair is a common orthopedic surgery often performed at outpatient surgical centers. To date, little is known regarding optimal pain control in this setting. In this study, the authors evaluated patients who underwent distal radius open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in an outpatient surgery center setting. Comparisons between 2 surgical groups, peripheral nerve block without general anesthesia vs general anesthesia only, were recorded in terms of postoperative length of stay (LOS) in phase I, total LOS, and patient-reported pain level at discharge. The authors identified 80 patients undergoing distal radius ORIF from March to August 2016. A total of 37 (46.3%) patients received general anesthesia only and 43 (53.8%) patients received peripheral nerve block without general anesthesia. Overall, patients in the nerve block only group showed a statistically significant decrease in pain at discharge, as well as decreased phase I and total LOS. Although the power of the data is low relative to the number of distal radius procedures performed every year, there is a trend of better pain control and decreased LOS when using nerve blocks instead of general anesthesia. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(6):e549-e552.].

Graft Considerations in Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To highlight current and established concepts regarding PCL injury and reconstruction. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent biomechanical and clinical studies have brought attention to improved surgical techniques and clinical outcomes of PCL reconstruction. In contrast to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, isolated posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries occur much less frequently and have traditionally been treated non-operatively. Even when a PCL injury meets operative indications, outcomes of PCL reconstruction historically do not match the success rates of ACL reconstruction procedures. As such, there remains controversy regarding appropriate indications and techniques for surgical repair leading to a paucity of conclusive data regarding surgical outcomes. Recently, however, there has been an increase in focus on the role of the PCL in proper knee biomechanics and negative long-term sequelae of chronic PCL insufficiency. This improved understanding has led to advancements in surgical technique and graft options for PCL reconstruction.