Influence of female sex and double-quadruple semitendinosus-gracilis graft on the incidence of postoperative symptomatic cyclops lesions after ACL reconstruction.

PURPOSE: Risk factors for the development of symptomatic cyclops lesion after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery are not entirely identified yet. This study aimed to investigate whether the choice of hamstring graft (semitendinosus-gracilis; STG vs. semitendinosus; ST) affects the risk of developing a symptomatic cyclops lesion after ACLR. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 1416 patients receiving either an ST graft (n = 1209) or an STG graft (n = 207) ACLR with a follow-up of at least 2 years. A persisting extension limitation was clinically determined, and cyclops lesions were confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and second-look arthroscopy. Graft-specific incidence of cyclops lesions was examined with χ2 test and combined with the factors number of graft bundles, graft diameter and sex evaluated with a binominal logistic regression model. RESULTS: In total, 46 patients developed symptomatic cyclops lesions (3.2%), with 36 having ACLR with an ST graft (3.0%) and 10 with an STG graft (4.8%) (n.s). The mean time from ACLR to the second-look arthroscopy for cyclops removal was 1.1 ± 0.6 years. Female patients were 2.5 times more likely to develop a cyclops lesion than male patients. Patients with an STG graft and larger graft diameters did not have a higher risk of developing cyclops lesions. Patients who received an STG graft with both tendons folded four times (double-quadruple) had significantly higher risk of developing a cyclops compared with all other numbers of graft bundles combined (8.3%, respectively 3.0%; p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: This study could not prove an increased risk of developing a symptomatic cyclops lesion for patients with an STG graft compared with an ST graft used for ACLR. However, patients with a double-quadruple ACLR had a higher percentage of cyclops lesions compared with all other numbers of graft bundles. Female sex was associated with an increased risk of developing cyclops lesions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Digital Health Applications to Establish a Remote Diagnosis of Orthopedic Knee Disorders: Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Knee pain is highly prevalent worldwide, and this number is expected to rise in the future. The COVID-19 outbreak, in combination with the aging population, rising health care costs, and the need to make health care more accessible worldwide, has led to an increasing demand for digital health care applications to deliver care for patients with musculoskeletal conditions. Digital health and other forms of telemedicine can add value in optimizing health care for patients and health care providers. This might reduce health care costs and make health care more accessible while maintaining a high level of quality. Although expectations are high, there is currently no overview comparing digital health applications with face-to-face contact in clinical trials to establish a primary knee diagnosis in orthopedic surgery. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the currently available digital health and telemedicine applications to establish a primary knee diagnosis in orthopedic surgery in the general population in comparison with imaging or face-to-face contact between patients and physicians. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted using the PubMed and Embase databases according to the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) statement. The inclusion criteria were studies reporting methods to determine a primary knee diagnosis in orthopedic surgery using digital health or telemedicine. On April 28 and 29, 2021, searches were conducted in PubMed (MEDLINE) and Embase. Data charting was conducted using a predefined form and included details on general study information, study population, type of application, comparator, analyses, and key findings. A risk-of-bias analysis was not deemed relevant considering the scoping review design of the study. RESULTS: After screening 5639 articles, 7 (0.12%) were included. In total, 2 categories to determine a primary diagnosis were identified: screening studies (4/7, 57%) and decision support studies (3/7, 43%). There was great heterogeneity in the included studies in algorithms used, disorders, input parameters, and outcome measurements. No more than 25 knee disorders were included in the studies. The included studies showed a relatively high sensitivity (67%-91%). The accuracy of the different studies was generally lower, with a specificity of 27% to 48% for decision support studies and 73% to 96% for screening studies. CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review shows that there are a limited number of available applications to establish a remote diagnosis of knee disorders in orthopedic surgery. To date, there is limited evidence that digital health applications can assist patients or orthopedic surgeons in establishing the primary diagnosis of knee disorders. Future research should aim to integrate multiple sources of information and a standardized study design with close collaboration among clinicians, data scientists, data managers, lawyers, and service users to create reliable and secure databases.

Participation and Motor Abilities in Children Aged 5 to 9 Years With Idiopathic Clubfeet After Treatment With the Ponseti Method.

BACKGROUND: Functioning in children consists of different aspects, including their ability to execute activities and participate in life situations. Several studies on children with clubfeet showed limited motor abilities and walking capacity compared with healthy control children, while other studies showed comparable athletic abilities and gross motor development. Although participation in activities of daily life plays an important role in the development of children, this has not yet been investigated in children with clubfeet. The study aims to determine the level of parents' perceived motor ability and participation in Ponseti-treated children with clubfeet compared with age-matched healthy controls. METHODS: Parents of children aged 5 to 9 years with and without idiopathic Ponseti-treated clubfeet were asked to complete an online questionnaire about their child's motor abilities and participation level using the Dutch version of the Assessment of Life Habits for Children (LIFE-H) version 3 to assess participation and the Dutch Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Checklist (MABC-2 Checklist) to assess motor abilities. Statistical analysis focused on differences between groups and the relationship between motor abilities and level of participation. RESULTS: Questionnaires of 86 children with clubfeet (mean age 7.1, 73% boys) and 62 controls (age 6.7, 53% boys) were analyzed. Despite a large variation, results showed no significant differences between groups on the total scores of the LIFE-H and the MABC-2 Checklist. Children with clubfeet, however, scored lower on Mobility and better on the categories Communication and Responsibility of the LIFE-H. Furthermore, children with clubfeet showed lower scores on the MABC-2 Checklist subscale "movement in a static and/or predictable environment." High levels of the parents' perceived participation correlate with good results, as perceived by the parents, in motor ability. CONCLUSIONS: Although differences on some aspects of motor ability and participation existed, children with clubfeet in general showed high levels of parents' perceived motor ability and participation. High levels of participation correlated with good results in motor ability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.

Wearable sensor systems measure differences in knee laxity between healthy and affected knees during dynamic exercise activities: A systematic review.

Purpose: Knee laxity can be experienced as knee instability which may lead to a limitation in the activity of patients. Current methods to determine knee instability are performed in a static setting, which does not always correlate with dynamic knee laxity during activities. Wearables might be able to measure knee laxity in a dynamic setting and could be of added value in the diagnosis and treatment of excessive knee laxity. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to provide an overview of the wearables that have been developed and their ability to measure knee laxity during dynamic activities. Methods: The PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews were followed. A literature search was conducted in EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane databases. Included studies assessed patients with knee instability using a non-invasive wearable sensor system during dynamic activity, with comparison to a reference system or healthy knees. Data extraction was performed by two authors via a predefined format. The risk of bias was assessed by The Dutch checklist for diagnostic tests. Results: A total of 4734 articles were identified. Thirteen studies were included in the review. The studies showed a great variety of patients, sensor systems, reference tests, outcome measures and performed activities. Nine of the included studies were able to measure differences in patients with knee instability, all including a tri-axial accelerometer. Differences were not measurable in all parameters and activities in these studies. Conclusions: Wearables, including at least a tri-axial accelerometer, seem promising for measuring dynamic knee laxity in the anterior-posterior and mediolateral direction. At this stage, it remains unclear if the measured outcomes completely reflect the knee instability that patients experience in daily life. Level of Evidence: Level III.

Identifying potential patient-specific predictors for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction outcome - a diagnostic in vitro tissue remodeling platform.

PURPOSE: Upon anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, reconstruction is often required, with the hamstring tendon autograft as most widely used treatment. Post-operative autograft remodeling enhances graft rupture risk, which occurs in up to 10% of the patient population, increasing up to 30% of patients aged under 20 years. Therefore, this research aimed to identify potential biological predictors for graft rupture, derived from patient-specific tissue remodeling-related cell properties in an in vitro micro-tissue platform. METHODS: Hamstring tendon-derived cells were obtained from remnant autograft tissue after ACL reconstructions (36 patients, aged 12-55 years), and seeded in collagen I gels on a micro-tissue platform. Micro-tissue compaction over time - induced by altering the boundary constraints - was monitored. Pro-collagen I expression was assessed using ELISA, and protein expression of tenomodulin and α-smooth muscle actin were measured using Western blot. Expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase 2 were determined using gelatin zymography. RESULTS: Only micro-tissues corresponding to younger patients occasionally released themselves from the constraining posts. Pro-collagen I expression was significantly higher in younger patients. Differences in α-smooth muscle actin and tenomodulin expression between patients were found, but these were age-independent. Active matrix metalloproteinase 2 expression was slightly more abundant in younger patients. CONCLUSIONS: The presented micro-tissue platform exposed patient-specific remodeling-related differences between tendon-derived cells, with the micro-tissues that released from constraining posts and pro-collagen I expression best reflecting the clinical age-dependency of graft rupture. These properties can be the starting point in the quest for potential predictors for identifying individual patients at risk for graft rupture.

Translation and evaluation of psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the Single Assessment and Numeric Evaluation Method (SANEM) in shoulder patients.

BACKGROUND: The Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation Method (SANEM) is a holistic patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) that includes all aspects involving the shoulder. It is simple and easy to administer. It consists of only one question, namely how would you rate your shoulder today as a percentage of normal (0 to 100% with 100% being normal)? The purpose of this study was to translate the SANEM in Dutch and to assess its construct validity, reliability, and responsiveness. METHODS: The SANEM was translated into Dutch using forward and backward translation. Hypothesis testing was used to determine construct validity and responsiveness, 75% needed to be confirmed. Previous validated PROMs were used as comparator instrument for testing construct validity. Test-retest reliability (2-week interval), Standard Error of Measurement, and Smallest Detectable Change were calculated as reliability analyses. One year after baseline, we evaluated the responsiveness. RESULTS: One hundred seven patients (55% women) with a mean age of 54 years were included. Of the hypotheses formed in advance to assess construct validity, 67% was confirmed, meaning there was no adequate construct validity and the SANEM cannot replace all other PROMs. With an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.95, excellent test-retest reliability was found. Of the hypotheses formed in advance to evaluate the responsiveness, 75% was confirmed, indicating the SANEM has good responsiveness. CONCLUSION: Although the SANEM cannot replace all other PROMs, it is a reliable instrument to assess if a patients' shoulder, regarding the whole shoulder, changes over time or stays unchanged. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.