Patellar facet ratio affects knee pain, stair climbing and stair descent after TKA without patellar resurfacing.

PURPOSE: To determine whether knee pain or functional impairment after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) without patellar resurfacing are correlated with preoperative patellar morphology or postoperative patellar orientation. The hypotheses were that patellar shape, increased tilt and lateral displacement would be associated with pain and functional impairment. METHODS: From a consecutive series of 152 knees that received a cemented postero-stabilized TKA, the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) were collected at a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Uni- and multi-variable linear regression analyses were performed to determine associations between the collected clinical scores and patient demographics and patellar morphology, measured from pre- and post-operative frontal, lateral and skyline view radiographs. RESULTS: The OKS was 75 ± 23, whereas the KOOS pain, stair climbing, and descent were respectively 77 ± 24, 3.9 ± 1.1 and 3.8 ± 1.2. OKS was not associated with any radiographic outcomes, whereas KOOS pain was better for knees with larger medial patellar facets. The KOOS stair climbing and descent were also better for knees with larger medial patellar facets. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study partly confirm the hypotheses that pain and functional impairments after TKA without patellar resurfacing are associated with patellar shape. No association was revealed between postoperative patellar orientation and function nor pain. Quantitative consideration of patellar congruency could therefore prevent pain and improve function after TKA without patellar resurfacing. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective study, Level III.

No difference in patellar position between mobile-bearing and fixed-bearing total knee arthroplasty for medial osteoarthritis: a prospective randomized study.

PURPOSE: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is the treatment of choice for severe osteoarthritis of the knee. Many studies have been performed comparing mobile- and fixed-bearing designs; however, there are insufficient data regarding the patellar position in either system. This study aimed to compare the resultant patellar position with a mobile- versus a fixed-bearing TKA and the influence of both designs on clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective randomized study, between 2007 and 2009, 160 TKA patients were assessed; 79 received a mobile-bearing and 81 received a fixed-bearing implant, for medial compartment osteoarthritis. A posteriorly stabilized, HLS Noetos knee prosthesis (Tornier, Saint-Ismier, France) was used in all cases. The only difference between the groups was whether the tibial component incorporated a fixed or mobile bearing. The patella was resurfaced in all cases. The International Knee Society Score (KSS) and the patellar tilt and translation were compared post-operatively. Patellar translation and patellar tilt analyses were subdivided into two subgroups (< 5 mm vs > 5 mm and < 5° vs > 5°). RESULTS: The KSS was not statistically different between the groups at a mean follow-up of 7.4 years (range 5-11 years). Patellar translation and patellar tilt were not statistically different between the groups. When considering the patellar translation subgroup analysis, a significantly increased risk of patellar translation, greater than 5 mm, was found in the mobile-bearing group compared to fixed-bearing group (OR = 2.3; p = 0.048) without generating any meaningful difference in clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: The theoretical advantages of mobile-bearing implants compared to fixed-bearing implants were not demonstrated in this randomized study, at mid-term follow-up. In daily practice, the choice between mobile-bearing and fixed-bearing designs should be based on the experience and clinical judgment of the surgeon. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prospective randomized study, level I.

Clinical outcome and failure analysis of medial meniscus bucket-handle tear repair: a series of 96 patients with a minimum 2 year follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: The failure rate of meniscal repair remains significant, especially for bucket-handle tears. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes, failure rate and risk factors for failure of bucket-handle medial meniscal tear repairs performed during ACL reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was performed on a consecutive series of 96 ACL reconstructions with meniscal arthroscopic suture of a bucket-handle tear of the medial meniscus with a minimum 2 year follow-up. Preoperative and postoperative evaluation at last follow-up included objective IKDC rating, instrumented differential laxity and Tegner activity level. Functional outcome was evaluated with Lysholm score at last follow-up. Failure rate, survival curves and risk factor analysis using Cox proportional hazard ratio models were performed to analyze suture repair failure. RESULTS: At IKDC rating, all patients were C or D preoperatively, whereas they where all A or B at last follow-up. Instrumented differential laxity improved from 6.77 mm (1.57) to 1.02 mm (1.15) mm at last follow-up (p = 1.9 E-18). The mean Tegner score before injury was 6.79 (± 1.47) and 6.11 (± 1.75) at last follow-up (p = 0.0011). Mean Lyholm score at last follow-up was 91.53 (± 11.6). The average entire cohort failure rate was 19% at final follow-up of 35.2 ± 9.8 months. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that the probability of the absence of failure decreased constantly over time. No significant difference in the objective IKDC, Lysholm or Tegner scores was observed between the failure group and the success group. Multivariate analysis revealed that younger patients and a procedure of ACL revision are more at risk for suture repair failure. In the majority of cases, the meniscal lesion observed at revision was equivalent or less extensive than the initial lesion. CONCLUSION: Despite the fact that failure rate remains high for medial meniscus bucket-handle tears, suture repair of bucket-handle tears should be encouraged taking into account the long-term consequences of menisectomy.

Pre-operative templating in THA. Part I: a classification of architectural hip deformities.

INTRODUCTION: While numerous classifications of hip arthritis have been proposed, none considered the magnitude and direction of femoral head translation relative to the native acetabulum. A more precise classification of architectural hip deformities is necessary to improve preoperative templating and anticipate surgical challenges of total hip arthroplasty (THA). The purpose of the present study was to introduce a classification system to distinguish different types of architectural hip deformities, based on femoral head translation patterns, and to evaluate its repeatability using plain radiographs (qualitative) and Computed Tomography (CT) measurements (quantitative). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied pre-operative frontal and lateral hip radiographs and CT scans of 191 hips (184 patients) that received primary THA. The distance between the femoral head center (FC) and the acetabular center (AC) was measured, as well as femoral offset, acetabular offset, head center height, acetabular floor distance and femoral neck angle. The hips were classified qualitatively using frontal plain radiographs, and then quantitatively using CT scans (with an arbitrary threshold of 3 mm as Centered, Medialized, Lateralized, Proximalized or Proximo-lateralized. The agreement between qualitative and quantitative classification methods was compared for applying the same classification. RESULTS: Qualitative classification identified 120 centered (63%), 8 medialized (4%), 49 lateralized (26%), 3 proximalized (2%), and 11 proximo-lateralized (6%) hips, while quantitative classification identified 116 centered (61%), 8 medialized (4%), 51 lateralized (27%), 5 proximalized (3%), and 11 proximo-lateralized (6%) hips. The agreement between the two methods was excellent (0.94; CI 0.90-0.98). Medialization reached 9.7 mm, while lateralization reached 10.9 mm, and proximalization reached 8.5 mm. Proximalized and proximo-lateralized hips had more valgus necks, while medialized hips had more varus necks (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The classification system enabled repeatable distinction of 5 types of architectural hip deformities. The excellent agreement between quantitative and qualitative methods suggests that plain radiographs are sufficient to classify architectural hip deformities.

Correction to: Pre-operative templating in THA. Part II: a CT-based strategy to correct architectural hip deformities.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The spelling of the Geert Pagenstert name was incorrect.

Pre-operative planning in THA. Part III: do implant size prediction and offset restoration influence functional outcomes after THA?

INTRODUCTION: Few studies evaluated clinical benefits of pre-operative templating in total hip arthroplasty (THA). We investigated whether mismatch between planned and real implant sizes and medio-lateral offsets compromises THA outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed records of 184 primary THAs with pre-operative CT scans used for templating. Acetabular offset (AO), femoral offset (FO) and global offset (GO) were measured on pre-operative CT scans, during acetate templating, and post-operative antero-posterior radiographs. Multivariable analyses were performed to determine if Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) and Oxford Hip Score (OHS) at > 2 years were associated with differences between post-operative and planned parameters. RESULTS: The FJS and OHS were not influenced by mismatch of component sizes nor of FO and GO. The FJS was better when the post-operative AO was greater than planned (p = 0.050). The FJS differed among arthritic types (p = 0.015). Multivariable analyses confirmed that older patients had better OHS (beta - 0.16; p = 0.033) and FJS (beta 0.74; p = 0.002), medialized hips had worse FJS (beta - 20.1; p = 0.041) and hips with greater AO than planned had better FJS (beta 1.71; p = 0.024) CONCLUSIONS: Implanting a component of different size than planned did not compromise THA outcomes, but medialized hips had worse scores, and conservative acetabular reaming improved scores.

Pre-operative templating in THA. Part II: a CT-based strategy to correct architectural hip deformities.

INTRODUCTION: Pre-operative templating for total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains inaccurate due to improper magnification and alignment. We aimed to describe an improved templating strategy using computed tomography (CT) to predict component sizes and offsets with greater accuracy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed 184 CT images acquired for pre-operative templating of primary THA. We aimed to restore native (pre-arthritic) femoral offset and limb length, by raising the head center to the level of the templated cup center cranio-caudally, but maintaining the pathologic (pre-operative) head center medio-laterally (except in medialized hips). Acetabular offset (AO) and femoral offset (FO) were measured on pre-operative CT scans, during acetate templating, and on post-operative true antero-posterior radiographs. RESULTS: The post-operative offsets were within ± 5 mm from templated estimates in 174 hips (91%) for AO, in 116 hips (61%) for FO, in 111 hips (58%) for GO, and in 134 hips (70%) for neck cut level. The post-operative hip architecture reproduced the templated hip architecture within ±5 mm in 77 hips (40%). The agreement between planned and post-operative parameters was moderate for stem size (0.57), cup size (0.62), AO (0.50), but fair for FO (0.45). The AO decreased in most arthritic types, notably in lateralized hips (6.6 mm), but remained unchanged in medialized hips. The FO increased in most arthritic types (1.8-3.1 mm) but remained unchanged in medialized and lateralized hips. CONCLUSIONS: We described a strategy for pre-operative templating in THA. Despite the accuracy of CT, the authors found significant variations between planned and post-operative reconstructions, which suggest that pre-operative templating should only be used as an approximate guide.

Open Versus Arthroscopic Mosaicplasty of the Knee: A Cadaveric Assessment of Accuracy of Graft Placement Using Navigation.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare an open freehand mosaicplasty technique with an arthroscopic technique for the treatment of osteochondral lesions by measuring the instrument deviation, quantifying this deviation, and providing numerical information on the difference in the outcomes of these techniques. METHODS: Four cadaveric knees were used. Reference markers were attached to the femur, tibia, and donor/recipient site guides. A total of 10 osteochondral grafts were harvested and inserted into recipient sites arthroscopically and 10 similar grafts were inserted freehand. The angles of graft removal and placement were calculated for each of the surgical groups compared. Ostensibly, a navigation system was used as an aid, to measure the graft placement parameters. RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the arthroscopic method and the freehand method regarding the angle of graft removal at the donor site (P = .162), recipient site plug removal angle (P = .731), and recipient site graft placement angle (P = .630). In the freehand group, the mean angle of graft removal at the donor site was 12°, the mean angle of recipient site plug removal was 10.7°, and the mean angle of recipient site plug placement was 10.6°. Using the arthroscopic technique, the mean angle of graft removal at the donor site was 17.14°, the mean angle of recipient site plug removal was 12.0°, and the mean angle of recipient site graft placement was 10.14°. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed there was no statistically significant difference regarding precision and accuracy during harvesting, recipient site preparation, and plug placement between the 2 techniques. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Controversy exists whether an open or arthroscopic osteoarticular transfer system (OATS) technique provides superior accuracy. According to our results, there is no statistically significant difference regarding better visualization, precision, and accuracy between the freehand and arthroscopic techniques. However, larger number of specimens are required for study.

Surgeon delivered psoas compartment block in total hip arthroplasty.

Total hip arthroplasty is associated with significant postoperative pain. A psoas compartment block is superior to other regional techniques in analgesia post THA. However, traditional methods of delivery are associated with serious complications. We present a technique of a surgeon delivered lumbar plexus block through injection at the portion of the iliopsoas seen intraoperatively. We randomised fifty-three consecutive patients into two groups. The group that received the block had an increased period prior to requesting supplementary analgesia and lower overall pain scores. There were no adverse effects. We have demonstrated the analgesic efficacy of Psoas Compartment Block performed during surgical access for total hip arthroplasty. This technique should be considered in the analgesic regimen for total hip arthroplasty.

Syndesmotic injury with ankle fracture: A systematic review of screw vs dynamic fixation.

Cortical screw fixation across the tibiofibular joint is the mainstay of treatment for syndesmotic injury. Dynamic fixation devices have been developed offering similar advantages to screw fixation in terms of reduction and stability of the syndesmosis. Dynamic fixation may also facilitate a more physiological movement between the tibiofibular joint and thus incur less morbidity. Patient's rehabilitation potential is enhanced and reduces the need for hardware removal. Our systematic review aims to analyse the relevant current literature and compare screw fixation to dynamic fixation in the treatment of syndesmotic injury associated with acute ankle fractures. A literature search was performed on Pubmed and Ovid Medline to find scientific papers relating to syndesmotic fixation in acute ankle fractures. Papers were screened and included dependent on predetermined criteria. Risk of bias was assessed after screening full papers by two independent reviewers. Tables and analysis were made using Microsoft excel. A total of 8 papers with 673 patients were included. We found no functional difference between screw fixation or dynamic fixation groups at final follow-up. Three papers showed statistically significant lower rates of reoperation in the dynamic fixation group. Dynamic fixation may offer lower post operative complications and reoperation rates. Therefore, dynamic fixation may be a beneficial alternative treatment compared to traditionally used syndesmotic screws.

Incidence of bacterial contamination in primary THA and combined hardware removal: analysis of preoperative aspiration and intraoperative biopsies.

Prior fracture surgery in the setting of subsequent arthroplasty may confer an increased risk of infection. The current authors retrospectively reviewed 122 patients from 2006 to 2010. Joint aspirations performed preoperatively in two of 52 patients revealed bacterial growth. Preoperative CRP levels were elevated in 22.8% with a mean value of 10.4 mg/L (range 5.5 to 33.3). Intra-operative cultures were performed in 109 patients, with a single patient sample exhibiting bacterial growth (0.9%). Preoperative aspiration showed a sensitivity of 1.0 and specificity of 0.98 (P<0.039) for bacterial contamination. There was no postoperative periprosthetic infection noted. In conclusion the retrieval of internal fixation devices and total hip arthroplasty can be performed safely as a single stage procedure without significantly increasing the risk of periprosthetic infection.

Eleven-year results of the anatomic coated CFP stem in primary total hip arthroplasty.

There is a paucity of intermediate term results relating to short stem prostheses. The current study represents the longest follow-up results of the CFP prosthesis to the authors' best knowledge. Between January 1999 and December 2000, all total hip arthroplasty patients (n = 149), treated with this anatomic neck preserving stem in the authors' institution were enrolled in this study. After a mean follow-up time period of 11.2 years 117 patients were available for the follow-up examination. The mean HHS increased from 53 to 93. Overall, revision surgery was required in 11 patients (9.4%), with implant-associated complications noted in only five cases (4.3%). Aseptic loosening leading to implant removal was noted in four patients (3.4%). The current study's data suggest that the CFP implant, used in young patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty, is safe and provides excellent results after 11 years.

Failed joint unloading implant system in the treatment of medial knee osteoarthritis.

In the setting of end-stage osteoarthritis of the knee, total knee arthroplasty is the gold-standard treatment. Recently, a minimally invasive, joint preserving treatment option in the treatment of medial osteoarthritis of the knee has been developed. It is called the KineSpring(®) (Moximed(®) International GmbH, Zurich, Switzerland). The goal of this novel device is to reduce medial compartment loading without significantly affecting the loading of the lateral compartment. In this context, the current authors present a case of device failure using these new implants, which at 7 months post-op necessitated revision surgery with complete removal of the device.

Clinical and Radiological Mid- to Long-term Results Following Triple Arthrodesis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Triple arthrodesis (TA) is a common procedure for stabilization of painful and unstable hind foot deformities. The aim of the study was to analyze postoperative changes in function and pain following isolated TA based on clinical outcomes, radiological findings, and pain scores. The study also considered economic aspects, such as the inability to work, before and after surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study, with a mean follow-up of 7.8 (range=2.9-12.6) years, of isolated triple fusions was performed. Short-Form 36 (SF-36), Foot Function Index (FFI), American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Score (AOFAS) were analyzed. Clinical examination and standardized radiographs pre- and post-surgery were evaluated. RESULTS: All 16 patients were very satisfied with the outcome after TA. In patients with secondary arthrosis of the ankle joint, AOFAS scores were significantly lower (p=0.012), whereas arthrosis in tarsal and tarsometatarsal joints did not affect the score. Body mass index (BMI) was associated with lower AOFAS, FFI-pain, FFI-function and increased hindfoot valgus. The non-union rate was approximately 11%. CONCLUSION: TA leads to good clinical and radiological outcomes. None of the study participants reported a deterioration in their quality of life after TA. Two thirds of the patients reported significant limitations when walking on uneven ground. More than half of the feet developed secondary arthrosis of the tarsal joints and 44% of the ankle joint.

Arthroscopic mosaicplasty for osteochondral lesions of the knee: computer-assisted navigation versus freehand technique.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare a freehand arthroscopic approach versus mosaicplasty for treatment of osteochondral lesions of the knee with a navigated arthroscopic technique. METHODS: Four whole cadaveric lower limbs were used. A conventional navigation system was used in combination with an autologous osteochondral graft transplantation system (Osteochondral Autograft Transfer System [OATS]; Arthrex, Naples, FL). The congruity of the articular surface was measured with the navigation probe to detect any difference between the surface created by the grafts and the surface of the femoral condyle surrounding them. The angle relates to a line perpendicular to the articular surface. This line is made by the cutting instrument for graft harvesting and insertion and the articular surface. RESULTS: The mean angle of graft harvest was 3.4° (range, 0° to 10°) in the navigated group versus 14.8° (range, 6° to 26°) in the freehand group (P < .0003). The mean angle for recipient-site coring was 1.5° (range, 0° to 5°) in the navigated group versus 12.6° (range, 4° to 17°) in the freehand group (P < .0003). The mean angle of graft placement was 2° (range, 1° to 5°) in the navigated group versus 10.8° (range, 5° to 15°) in the freehand group (P = .0002). The mean protrusion height of the plug was 0.23 mm (range, 0.1 to 0.5 mm; SD, 0.16) in the navigated group versus 0.34 mm (range, 0.0 to 0.7 mm; SD, 0.25) in the freehand group (P = .336). CONCLUSIONS: Computer-assisted arthroscopic mosaicplasty for treatment of osteochondral lesions in the cadaveric model presented in this study allows permanent visualization of the angle of recipient-site preparation, the depth of the donor plug and the recipient plug, and the angle of insertion of the graft at the recipient site. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study shows evidence of potentially greater precision and reproducibility of navigated arthroscopic mosaicplasty when compared with an arthroscopic freehand technique in a cadaveric model. However, true clinical outcome benefit will only be elucidated upon performance of appropriate clinical studies.

Influence of the valgus force during knee flexion in neutral rotation.

PURPOSE: The pivot shift test is generally accepted to be a clinically useful tool. In the current study, the authors aimed to determine the minimum amount of valgus force required to elicit a positive pivot shift test utilizing a mechanized pivot shifter device in ACL-deficient knees. The authors proposed that increasing the applied force from a minimum critical value would lead to greater magnitudes of femoro-tibial translation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six fresh-frozen pelvis-to-toes specimens were used in this cadaveric study. Tracking and recording of tibiofemoral kinematics during throughout testing was achieved by an image-free surgical navigation system with dedicated ACL software. A load cell was attached to the mechanized pivot shifter through a three-degree-of-freedom arm. Valgus force magnitudes of 0-5 kg were then sequentially applied, and knee flexion in neutral rotation was performed on the ACL-deficient knees. A total of two trials were performed for each force. RESULTS: The greatest difference in lateral and medial compartment translation, during the pivot shift test, utilizing a mechanized pivot shifter in an ACL-deficient knee, was measured between an applied valgus force of 0 and 1 kg. The mean difference between 4 and 5 kg was 0.2 mm (CI = -11.29 to 10.89) for the lateral compartment, and there was no difference in translation for the medial compartment (CI = -17.43 to 17.43). CONCLUSIONS: The principal finding of the current study was that a greater force does not produce a greater magnitude of femoro-tibial translation during knee flexion in neutral rotation, contrary to the initial hypothesis.

Anteromedial versus central single-bundle graft position: which anatomic graft position to choose?

PURPOSE: To compare the time-zero stability of an anatomic anteromedial (AM) single-bundle ACL reconstruction to an anatomic central (CTR) single-bundle ACL reconstruction. METHODS: Twelve (6 paired) hip to knee cadaveric specimens were studied. Using custom ACL computer navigation software, a Lachman test and a previously validated, navigated mechanized pivot shift test were performed on 4 separate experimental groups in each specimen: (1) intact ACL, (2) ACL deficient with total medial and lateral meniscectomy, (3) following anatomic AM single-bundle ACL reconstruction, and (4) after anatomic CTR single-bundle ACL reconstruction. Maximum anterior tibial translation in each group was measured. RESULTS: Lachman: No significant difference was observed between the AM and CTR reconstructions (n.s.) or between reconstruction and the intact ACL (3.4 ± 1.7 mm) (n.s.). Pivot Shift: Both the AM and CTR ACL reconstructions significantly reduced anterior translation relative to the ACL/menisci-deficient condition (lateral compartment: 8.9 ± 3.8 mm and 6.75 ± 4.6 mm vs. 17.25 ± 3.5 mm, respectively; P < 0.001 and medial compartment: -3.0 ± 5.3 mm vs. -3.7 ± 5.7 mm vs. 6.2 ± 6.7 mm, P < 0.05). There was also a significant difference between the AM (P < 0.001) and CTR (P < 0.05) ACL reconstructions and the intact ACL (2.8 ± 4.4 mm) for lateral compartment translation. Further, no difference was found between lateral or medial compartment translations in the AM versus CTR reconstructions (n.s.). CONCLUSIONS: It has been shown that there was no difference in the time-zero biomechanical stability between an anatomic anteromedial and anatomic central single-bundle ACL reconstruction. Given the current debate on the best anatomic ACL reconstruction technique, anatomic socket position in either the anteromedial or central locations provides similar time-zero biomechanics.

Effect of tunnel position and graft size in single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: an evaluation of time-zero knee stability.

PURPOSE: To determine whether (1) increased graft size with anatomic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) would confer proportionally increased time-zero biomechanical stability and (2) larger grafts would compensate for the inferior time-zero biomechanical kinematics of nonanatomic, single-bundle ACLR. METHODS: Ten cadaveric knees were allocated for single-bundle ACLR in an anatomic, center-center or nonanatomic, posterolateral-to-anteromedial footprint position with hamstring autograft. Medial arthrotomy defined the native anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tibial and femoral footprints. ACLR was performed with a 6-mm semitendinosus graft in 6-mm tunnels and repeated with a 9-mm semitendinosus and gracilis graft in 9-mm tunnels for each knee. Lachman and instrumented pivot-shift examinations assessed knee stability in the ACL-intact, ACL-deficient, and ACLR conditions. Medial and lateral meniscectomies after ACL transection created reproducible pivot shifts. Significance was defined as P < .05. RESULTS: ACLR in the center-center or posterolateral-to-anteromedial position significantly reduced anterior tibial translation compared with the ACL- and meniscus-deficient conditions (P < .001). Larger graft size, however, did not significantly improve time-zero biomechanical stability compared with a smaller graft in the same position for either reconstruction (P = .41 to .74). A center-center ACLR controlled tibial translation significantly better than a nonanatomic graft position regardless of graft size (P < .001). A smaller graft in the anatomic position controlled tibial translation significantly better than a larger graft in a nonanatomic position (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that increasing graft size did not improve the time-zero biomechanical stability of the knee after ACLR. Increased graft size did not compensate for the biomechanical instability documented with the nonanatomic tunnel position. Restoration of native footprint anatomy in ACLR is of paramount importance regardless of graft size and source. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A larger graft size does not ameliorate the inferior time-zero biomechanics associated with nonanatomic tunnel preparation during single-bundle ACLR.

Freehand versus navigated glenoid anchor positioning in anterior labral repair.

PURPOSE: Anchor placement on the glenoid rim is challenging with the angle of insertion critical to achieving satisfactory results. Incorrect anchor placement is a common problem. METHODS: Three plastic shoulder models were used. Reference markers were attached in the posterior portion of the acromion. Using the navigation system, reference point data from the glenoid were acquired. An anterior labral lesion of the glenoid was created that extended from the 1 o'clock to the 5 o'clock position. Three suture anchors were placed under arthroscopic guidance without the aid of navigation system (Group A) and with the aid of navigation system (Group B). Deviation from the optimal angle of 45° for anchor placement was measured and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The mean insertion angles for anchor placement were 45.9° (SD 3.4°, 40.2°-50.4°) and 41.4° (SD 3.9°, 33.1°-47.6°) in the freehand (Group A) and navigated (Group B) groups, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups (P < 0.05). The mean deviation (from the optimal angle) was 4.2° (SD 3.2°, 0.0°-11.9°) and 2.8° (SD 2.2°, 0.2°-8.4°) in the freehand and navigated groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: Navigation systems may improve the accuracy of glenoid anchor placement amongst low-volume shoulder surgeons. However, it does not provide any significant advantage over the freehand technique in a plastic shoulder model. Constant multiplanar visualization throughout anchor placement as facilitated by navigation made the procedure more manageable, even for an experienced surgeon.

Femoral malrotation following intramedullary nailing in bilateral femoral shaft fractures.

INTRODUCTION: This study was designed to evaluate the incidence of femoral malrotation in bilateral femoral shaft fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All closed bilateral femoral shaft fractures in patients aged 18 or over treated between April 2000 and December 2009 were included in the current study. All patients received a postoperative CT-scan to estimate femoral antetorsion and leg length. All bilateral fractures were treated with intramedullary nailing on a radiolucent table. Retrospectively, all patients were analyzed according to the following parameters: (1) femoral antetorsion of both limbs and antetorsion difference in degrees, (2) femoral length discrepancy (cm), (3) incidence of femoral malrotation >15°, (4) revision rate due to femoral malrotation. RESULTS: A total of 24 patients (11 [45.8%] female; 13 [52.8%] male) with bilateral femoral shaft fractures were included in this study of average age 38 years (median 38 years, range 18-74 years). Clinically relevant malrotation (greater than 15°) was found in 10 cases (41.2%), whereas in 4 cases (40%) a revision surgery was required. DISCUSSION: Bilateral femoral shaft fractures are associated with a high incidence of clinically relevant femoral malrotation over 15°. Measurement of intraoperative femoral antetorsion in bilateral femoral shaft fractures is quite difficult and currently only feasible postoperatively.