Meniscal repair.

Historically, treatment of meniscus tears consisted of complete meniscectomy. Over the past few decades, however, the long-term morbidities of meniscal removal, namely the early development of knee osteoarthritis, have become apparent. Thus, management of meniscal tears has trended toward meniscal preservation. Recent technological advances have made repairs of the meniscus easier and stronger. In addition, adjunctive therapies used to enhance the healing process have advanced greatly in the past few years. Today, with increased understanding of the impact of meniscal loss and the principles of meniscal repair and healing, meniscal preservation is viewed as an increasingly realistic and important goal in the management of meniscus tears.

Peroneal nerve compression secondary to an anomalous biceps femoris muscle in an adolescent athlete.

Common peroneal nerve compression is a well-recognized entity that can cause severe debilitating clinical manifestations. The current literature describes numerous locations and mechanisms of compression, including both structural and systemic causes. Anatomical variants should be considered part of the differential diagnosis in peroneal nerve impingement. We present the case of a 14-year-old basketball player with footdrop secondary to compression of the common peroneal nerve from an accessory biceps femoris muscle, which was treated by neurolysis. In addition, we review the systematic workup of patients with nerve compression.

Age and ACL reconstruction revisited.

To determine the age limitations for indicating ACL reconstructions in patients with functional instability, this article reviews the results of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions in 23 patients with an average age of 54 years (range: 49-64 years). Patients were evaluated with the Lysholm and Gillquist knee questionairre, visual analog scale, satisfaction rating, physical examination, KT-1000 testing, and radiographs. Nineteen of the 23 patients were available for follow-up at an average of 24 months after the index procedure. Sixteen patients returned for physical examination and 3 agreed to telephone interviews. The mean Lysholm score was 92, visual analog score 0.5, satisfaction rating 100%, KT-1000 testing 2mm, range of motion 0 degrees to 135 degees. Sixteen of the 19 patients returned to acceptable activity levels. Fifteen patients had excellent or good results, while 4 patients had fair or poor results. Three of the 4 fair or poor results had significant moderate or severe knee arthrosis. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with allograft in 49-64 year-old patients with minimal arthrosis is a safe, minimally invasive procedure that allows for return to a desired level of activity.

One-portal endoscopically assisted fasciotomy for exertional compartment syndrome.

A newly described method of single-incision endoscopically assisted fasciotomy for chronic exertional compartment syndrome is outlined. The procedure affords a small 2- to 3-cm incision with visualization of the anterior compartment fascia, lateral compartment fascia, superficial peroneal nerve, perforating vessels, and underlying muscle. The single-portal endoscopically assisted fasciotomy for chronic exertional compartment syndrome in the anterior and lateral compartments of the lower leg is a safe and reliable technique with excellent outcomes and patient satisfaction. Moreover, this technique affords the patient an expeditious recovery because of the small incision and decreased soft tissue trauma throughout the lower leg.

Prevention of heterotopic ossification at the elbow following trauma using radiation therapy.

The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of postoperative single dose radiation therapy of 700 centigray on fracture/dislocations of the elbow in the prevention of heterotopic ossification. Eleven patients were reviewed for this study. Each patient sustained high-energy trauma to the extremity causing a fracture/dislocation of the elbow. After open reduction and internal fixation, a postoperative single dose of 700-centigray radiation therapy was administered to the patients within 72 hours of surgery. Primary outcome measurements were clinical physical examination of range of motion and radiographic analysis of heterotopic bone formation at 12 months follow-up. Three of eleven patients (27%) had radiographic evidence of heterotopic ossification formation. Ten of eleven patients (91%) however, were without functional limitations. All fractures healed without complications. There were no complications from the radiation therapy. A single dose of 700-centigray radiation therapy postoperatively within 72 hours may lessen the functional loss from heterotopic ossification formation without effecting healing at the fracture site.

Low-energy anterior hip dislocation in a dancer.

In this article, we report the case of a healthy young woman who sustained an anterior hip dislocation while participating in a noncontact activity (ballet dancing). The patient's atraumatic dislocation failed closed reduction secondary to interposition of anterior capsule and rectus femoris muscle. Open reduction using a Smith-Petersen approach was concentric and stable. Postinjury femoral nerve neuropraxia resolved within 6 weeks. At 2-year follow-up, the patient was without complications of the injury-including avascular necrosis and posttraumatic arthritis. She returned to dancing and is now asymptomatic.

Arthroscopic stabilization of anterior shoulder instability: a review of the literature.

The treatment of anterior glenohumeral instability has been a topic of debate in the recent literature. Current surgical management of shoulder instability has included a variety of open and arthroscopic procedures. Open techniques for anterior reconstruction have been quite successful in preventing recurrent dislocations and continue to be the gold standard of care. In an attempt to address some of the disadvantages associated with open procedures, arthroscopic stabilization procedures have been developed. Arthroscopic capsuloligamentous repair presumably has clear advantages including better cosmesis, decreased perioperative morbidity, and a possible decrease in the loss of external rotation. Advances in arthroscopic instrumentation and improved arthroscopic techniques have increased the popularity of arthroscopic stabilization. The art of diagnosing the anatomic pathology associated with instability and proper patient selection continues to evolve. Most previous reports of arthroscopic stabilization have included small numbers of patients, variable patient pathology, and a variety of surgical techniques, making comparisons between stabilization procedures difficult. Arthroscopy can be valuable in both the confirmation of the degree and severity of the instability and to correct the pathoanatomy responsible for the instability.

Anatomic tibial graft fixation using a retrograde bio-interference screw for endoscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

The article describes a simple technique for anatomic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tibial graft fixation at the level of the intercondylar floor within a standard endoscopic tibial tunnel. Fixation is achieved with a retrograde positioned cannulated bio-interference screw delivered over a No. 5 permanent suture from a standard anteromedial portal. The screw is inserted into the tibial tunnel in an inside-out position, so that the head of the screw is flush with the intra-articular orifice of the tibial tunnel. Recent experimental, animal, and clinical studies have reported that the advantages of this type of anatomic graft fixation over nonanatomic tibial graft fixation include increased fixation strength, a more stable reconstruction through full knee range of motion, absence of postoperative tunnel expansion, and final biologic graft incorporation at or near the native ACL tibial insertion.

The incidence and outcome of patella fractures after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

PURPOSE: The study was performed to determine the incidence and eventual outcome of patella fractures after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions using bone-patella tendon-bone autograft. TYPE OF STUDY: Retrospective review. METHODS: Between 1989 to 1999, 618 consecutive primary, single-incision bone-patella tendon-bone autograft ACL reconstructive procedures were performed by 3 surgeons at our institution. Of this group, 8 (1.3%) had postoperative patella fracture of the donor knee. The charts of these patients were retrospectively reviewed, and patients were followed with physical examination and outcome questionnaires. RESULTS: The patella fractures occurred at a mean of 57 days after the ACL reconstruction (range, 24-121 days). Five patients sustained indirect trauma, whereas 3 experienced direct trauma. Three patients had nondisplaced transverse fractures treated nonoperatively. Five patients had displaced fractures (3 transverse and 2 Y-shaped) requiring surgical intervention. All 8 patients have full flexion when compared with their opposite knee. Two patients did not regain 5 degrees of hyperextension but were not symptomatic. The mean length of follow-up for the questionnaire was 4 years (range, 1.5 to 6.5 years). The mean score on the Lysholm knee questionnaire was 89.6 (range, 77-98). The mean Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score was 85.8 (range, 50-100). CONCLUSIONS: Most cases of postoperative patella fractures, in our experience, have caused minor changes postoperatively and no differences in the outcome of these patients. Seventy-five percent of our patients had excellent or good Lysholm scores. This study confirms previous reports in the literature that observed minimal residual sequelae from postoperative patella fractures after ACL reconstruction with bone-patella tendon-bone autograft.