Excellent outcomes for lateral unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: Multicenter 268-case series at 5 to 23 years' follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: Isolated lateral compartment osteoarthritis of the knee (LCOA) is 10 times less frequent than medial compartment involvement. Long-term assessments of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) in this indication are rare, with small series. HYPOTHESIS: Survival and functional outcome of lateral UKA in a large series are quite acceptable; the strategy is suited for isolated LCOA. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A multicenter retrospective study in 6 French health establishments included all lateral UKAs performed between January 1988 and September 2014. Clinical data (range of motion, International Knee Society (IKS) knee and function scores, satisfaction), paraclinical data (radiologic angles) and complications were prospectively entered in medical files during follow-up and analyzed retrospectively at end of follow-up. RESULTS: During the study period, 311 lateral UKAs were performed in 295 patients, using 5 fixed-bearing implant models. Twenty-eight patients died within 5 years, and 15 (4.8%) were lost to follow-up. The series thus comprised 268 lateral UKAs in 63 male and 205 female patients, with a mean age of 68.8±10.5 years, including 7 cases of post-traumatic osteoarthritis and 4 of aseptic osteonecrosis. Mean follow-up was 9.1 years (range, 5-23 years), implant survivorship with failure defined as all-cause revision surgery was 85.4% at 10 years and 79.4% at 20 years. At last follow-up, IKS knee score was 87.0 and IKS function score 80.2. Maximal flexion was 125°. 94.3% of patients were satisfied or very satisfied. The main cause of revision surgery was osteoarthritis in another knee compartment (66,7%, n=26). CONCLUSION: Lateral UKA showed good survivorship, comparable to medial UKA, with good functional results and excellent long-term satisfaction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, retrospective cohort study.

Why Reintervention After Total Knee Arthroplasty Fails? A Consecutive Cohort of 1170 Surgeries.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze why contemporary reintervention after total knee arthroplasty (RiTKA) fails. METHODS: Between January 2006 and December 2010, from a multicenter cohort of 1170 RiTKAs, we assessed all failures of RiTKA requiring additional surgery. All indications for the index reintervention were included. The minimum follow-up period was 3 years. RESULTS: A total of 192 (16.4%) patients required additional surgery after RiTKA (re-reintervention). The mean follow-up period was 7.7 years. Mean age was 69.2 years. The mean time to re-reintervention was 9.6 months with 90.1% of rTKA failure occurring within the first two years. Infection was the main cause of new surgery after RiTKA (47.9%; n = 92/192). Other causes included extensor mechanism pathology (14.6%), stiffness (13.5%), pain (6.8%), aseptic loosening (5.2%), laxity (5.2%), periprosthetic fracture (3.6%), and wound pathology (3.1%). In four groups, the main indication for re-reintervention was recurrence of the pathology leading to the first reintervention: RiTKA for infection (59/355, 16.6%, P < .05), stiffness (18/174, 10.3%, P < .05), extensor mechanism failure (9/167, 5.4%, P < .05), and RiTKA for pain (4/137, 2.9%, P = .003). Global survival curve analysis found 87.9% survivorship without re-reintervention at one year and 83% at eight years. CONCLUSION: Contemporary RiTKA failures mainly occur in the first two postoperative years. Infection is the main cause of failure in RiTKA. Recurrence of the initial pathology occurs in four groups of RiTKA and is the main indication for re-reintervention in these groups; infection (16.6%), stiffness (10.3%), extensor mechanism failure (5.4%), and pain (2.9%).

Diffuse pigmented villonodular synovitis in knee joint: diagnosis and treatment.

Pigmented villonodular synovitis is a rare proliferative condition of the synovium. Although the condition can present in any joint, the knee is the most commonly affected site. Despite being a benign condition, pigmented villonodular synovitis is often aggressive, with marked extra-articular extension in some cases. Monoarticular involvement occurs in two forms: localized and diffuse. The latter is more common, with a high recurrence rate. There is no standard method of management of this lesion. Open surgery is a classical and effective method for treatment. Arthroscopic synovectomy, however, has gained popularity, and has several advantages over the open technique particularly in exclusively articular cases. The combined approach is suggested in cases with extra-articular involvement. Synovectomy through any approach may prevent secondary osteoarthritis and subsequent joint arthroplasty. Internal irradiation or external beam radiation as an adjuvant treatment to surgical synovectomy appears to decrease the rate of local recurrence in diffuse cases. The authors observed a great heterogeneity in reporting of functional results, and specific conclusions should not be drawn. Each patient should be managed in accordance with his/her particular condition.

A sinovite vilonodular pigmentada é uma rara condição proliferativa da membrana sinovial. Apesar de a doença poder estar presente em qualquer articulação, o joelho é o local mais frequentemente afetado. Ainda que doença benigna, geralmente tem comportamento agressivo, pode ter extensão extra-articular em alguns casos. O acometimento monoarticular ocorre em duas formas: localizada ou difusa. A forma difusa é mais comum e tem alta taxa de recorrência. Não há método padronizado para o manejo dessa lesão. O tratamento cirúrgico aberto é o método clássico e efetivo. A sinovectomia artroscópica, entretanto, tem ganhado popularidade e tem diversas vantagens sobre a técnica aberta, principalmente em casos exclusivamente articulares. A abordagem combinada é sugerida em casos com envolvimento extra-articular. A sinovectomia pode prevenir a osteoartrose secundária e o subsequente tratamento reconstrutivo. A radioterapia usada como tratamento adjuvante à sinovectomia parece diminuir a taxa de recorrência local na forma difusa da doença. Os autores encontraram grande heterogeneidade na forma como os resultados funcionais foram reportados e não se deve chegar a conclusões específicas. Cada paciente deve ser manejado de acordo com suas particularidades.

Diffuse pigmented villonodular synovitis in knee joint: diagnosis and treatment / Sinovite vilonodular pigmentada difusa no joelho: diagnóstico e tratamento

ABSTRACT Pigmented villonodular synovitis is a rare proliferative condition of the synovium. Although the condition can present in any joint, the knee is the most commonly affected site. Despite being a benign condition, pigmented villonodular synovitis is often aggressive, with marked extra-articular extension in some cases. Monoarticular involvement occurs in two forms: localized and diffuse. The latter is more common, with a high recurrence rate. There is no standard method of management of this lesion. Open surgery is a classical and effective method for treatment. Arthroscopic synovectomy, however, has gained popularity, and has several advantages over the open technique particularly in exclusively articular cases. The combined approach is suggested in cases with extra-articular involvement. Synovectomy through any approach may prevent secondary osteoarthritis and subsequent joint arthroplasty. Internal irradiation or external beam radiation as an adjuvant treatment to surgical synovectomy appears to decrease the rate of local recurrence in diffuse cases. The authors observed a great heterogeneity in reporting of functional results, and specific conclusions should not be drawn. Each patient should be managed in accordance with his/her particular condition.

RESUMO A sinovite vilonodular pigmentada é uma rara condição proliferativa da membrana sinovial. Apesar de a doença poder estar presente em qualquer articulação, o joelho é o local mais frequentemente afetado. Ainda que doença benigna, geralmente tem comportamento agressivo, pode ter extensão extra-articular em alguns casos. O acometimento monoarticular ocorre em duas formas: localizada ou difusa. A forma difusa é mais comum e tem alta taxa de recorrência. Não há método padronizado para o manejo dessa lesão. O tratamento cirúrgico aberto é o método clássico e efetivo. A sinovectomia artroscópica, entretanto, tem ganhado popularidade e tem diversas vantagens sobre a técnica aberta, principalmente em casos exclusivamente articulares. A abordagem combinada é sugerida em casos com envolvimento extra-articular. A sinovectomia pode prevenir a osteoartrose secundária e o subsequente tratamento reconstrutivo. A radioterapia usada como tratamento adjuvante à sinovectomia parece diminuir a taxa de recorrência local na forma difusa da doença. Os autores encontraram grande heterogeneidade na forma como os resultados funcionais foram reportados e não se deve chegar a conclusões específicas. Cada paciente deve ser manejado de acordo com suas particularidades.

The incidence of trochlear dysplasia in anterior cruciate ligament tears.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present epidemiologic study is to record the radiographic presence of trochlear dysplasia and patella alta in patients who undergo anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction as a potential underlying factor for post-operative anterior knee pain (AKP). METHODS: All consecutive cases of skeletally-mature ACL-deficient knees that would undergo ACL reconstruction in three different hospitals were prospectively included during a six-month period. Inclusion criteria were acute and sub-acute ACL injury with no previous ipsilateral knee operation. Patients with chronic ACL tears, prior-to-ACL-injury history of patellar instability or other PF disorders were excluded from the study. RESULTS: A total of 299 knees were included (mean age 32 ± ten years). Forty-four (14.7 %) knees had a positive 'crossing sign' in the lateral X-rays and 255 (85.3 %) had no sign of trochlear dysplasia (p < 0.01). Among the cases with trochlear dysplasia, 41 (93 %) had type A trochlear dysplasia with the presence only of the 'crossing sign' and three (7 %) had type C trochlear dysplasia. Patellar height results included a mean Caton-Deschamps index of 1.0 ± 0.14 (0.5-1.4). Twenty (6.6 %) knees had an index of less than 0.8, and two (0.6 %) knees had an index less than 0.6. In contrast, 15 (5.0 %) knees had an abnormal value of more than 1.2, indicating patella alta. CONCLUSIONS: The most important finding of the study is the increased prevalence of trochlear dysplasia and patella alta in patients with ACL injury, when compared to the incidence of trochlear dysplasia and patella alta in the general population in the literature. This finding could sound as an alert of a possible additional risk factor for post-operative anterior knee pain after ACL reconstruction.

Infection after total knee replacement: diagnosis and treatment / Infeccao em artroplastia total de joelho: diagnostico e tratamento

Infection after total knee replacement (IATJ) is a rare complication. It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality increasing the final costs. Gram positive coccus and Staphylococcus coagulase-negative and Staphylococcus aureus are the most common isolated germs (>50% of the cases). Conditions related to the patient, to the surgical procedure and even to the post op have been identified as risk factors to IATJ. Many complementary methods together with clinical symptoms are useful to a proper diagnosis. Treatment for IATJ must be individualized but generally is a combination of systemic antibiotic therapy and surgical treatment. Prosthesis exchange in one or two stages is the first choice procedure. Debridement with prosthesis retention is an option in acute cases with stable implants and antibiotic sensible germs.

Infecção após artroplastia total do joelho (IATJ) é complicação incomum. Está associada a aumento da morbimortalidade e dos custos de internação. Cocos gram-positivos, sobretudo Staphylococcus coagulase-negative e Staphylococcus aureus, são os germes mais comumente isolados (> 50% de todos os casos). Condições ligadas ao paciente, ao procedimento cirúrgico e mesmo ao pós-operatório têm sido identificadas como fatores de risco para IATJ. Vários são os métodos complementares que se somam à investigação clínica para o diagnóstico infeccioso e melhor caracterização do quadro. O tratamento para a IATJ deve ser individualizado, mas geralmente envolve a combinação da antibioticoterapia sistêmica com o tratamento cirúrgico. A troca do implante em um ou dois estágios é o procedimento de escolha. Desbridamento com retenção da prótese é opção em casos agudos, com implantes estáveis e com germes sensíveis aos agentes antimicrobianos.

The effect of computerized navigation on component alignment in total knee arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to evaluate the effect of computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) on component alignment. METHODS: The radiographs of 20 patients who underwent computer-assisted TKA within a two-year period were analyzed with respect to the mechanical femorotibial, mechanical femoral, mechanical tibial angles (mFTA, mFA and mTA, respectively) and the tibial slope (σ). RESULTS: The mean postoperative mFTA (179.7°) was significantly improved when compared to the preoperative value (175.45°) (p=0.012). The mean postoperative mFA was significantly reduced (p=0.035) in comparison with the preoperative mean (89.1° and 90.6°, respectively). The mean postoperative mTA was exactly 90.0°, while the preoperative mean was significantly lower (87.7°; p=0.003). Mean tourniquet time during TKA was 109.5 minutes. CONCLUSION: Computer navigation in TKA appears to be a reliable system which facilitates implant positioning and component alignment.

Can patients really participate in sport after high tibial osteotomy?

PURPOSE: The possibility to return to sporting activity can be an important consideration in the decision-making process in femorotibial osteoarthritis. We analyzed functional outcomes and sport participation in a continuous series of HTO and asked whether this procedure could match expectations in active and motivated patients. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated activities, sports participation, and the level of satisfaction in 139 patients with unilateral noncomplicated HTO. The study included 41 women and 98 men with a mean age of 59 years and a mean 50 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients (63%) reported that their knee was "normal," and eighty-six patients (62%) felt that their activities were limited by their knee. A total of 78 patients (56%) reported that they were as active as they expected to be before the intervention. Of these patients, 98% were satisfied. Of the patients who were not as active as they thought they would be, 51% were satisfied (P < 0.0001). The duration of preoperative pain, the age at evaluation, and the number of previous surgeries did not influence the subjective result. Among patients under 75 years, 28% regularly participated in strenuous sports, but 40% were motivated for these activities. 66% of the motivated patients regularly participated in at least one impact sport. CONCLUSION: This study shows that young motivated patients are able to resume strenuous activities following HTO. However, patients must be informed that they will typically not recover their pre-pathology level and that residual pain during strenuous sports is not exceptional. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, Level IV.