Quality of YouTube Videos Regarding Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Quadriceps Tendon Autograft Is Unsatisfactory.

PURPOSE: To assess the validity and informational value of teaching material regarding anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) using quadriceps tendon (QT) autograft provided on the YouTube video platform. METHODS: An extensive systematic search of the YouTube video platform was performed, and all videos that met the criteria were included in the analysis. The analysis of the video content was performed using the DISCERN instrument, Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, and Global Quality Score (GQS). The duration of the videos, the date of publication, and the number of likes and views were recorded. Furthermore, videos were categorized based on the source (physicians, companies, patients), the subject (surgical technique, patient experience and overview [overview videos were videos in which multiple aspects were analyzed]), and the type of content (educational or subjective patient experience). RESULTS: A total of 88 videos were included in the analysis. Seventy-one (80.7%) videos were published by physicians, 15 (17.0%) by patients, and 2 (2.3%) by companies. The majority of the videos described various surgical techniques (59%-67.0%), 80.7% of the videos (72%-81.8%) had an educational nature, and the remaining 18.2% described patient experiences. The mean length of the videos was 8.21 ± 7.88 minutes. The mean number of views was 3,988.51 ± 9,792.98 (range 9-56,047), whereas the mean numbers of comments and likes were 30.07 ± 70.07 (range 0-493) and 4.48 ± 14.22 (range 0-82), respectively. The mean DISCERN score, JAMA score, and GQS were 27.43 ±11.56 (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.01-29.85; range: 17-68), 1.22 ± 0.85 (95% CI 1.04-1.40; range 0-3), and 1.82 ± 0.93 (95% CI 1.63-2.01; range 1-4), respectively. For all scores, videos published by physicians had greater quality (DISCERN score, JAMA score, and GQS) (P < .05). Among all of the analyzed videos, overview videos were of the highest quality (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: YouTube is a fast and open-access source of mass information. The overall quality of the videos on ACLR performed using QT autograft was unsatisfactory, demonstrating low educational quality and reliability. Currently, YouTube cannot be recommended as a reliable source of information on ACLR with the QT. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Surgeons treating anterior cruciate ligament injuries should take special care when suggesting outside sources for patients to use to further educate themselves about this procedure. Due to the poor quality of the content, orthopaedic health care professionals should alert patients about the inaccuracies of YouTube videos addressing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with the quadriceps tendon. Additionally, health care practitioners should attempt to offer patients better options.

No Clinical Advantage of Harvesting a Patellar Bone Block Compared With All Soft-Tissue Graft in Primary Quadriceps Tendon Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

PURPOSE: To compare patient-reported outcomes measurements and subsequent surgical interventions in patients treated with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) using either quadriceps tendon autograft with a patellar bone block (bQT) or soft tissue only (sQT). METHODS: All ACLRs performed between January 2010 and March 2022 were prospectively followed for 24 months and retrospectively evaluated. All primary ACLRs with full 24 months of follow-up data, without any previous surgery or any additional ligamentous interventions, were matched for major ACL risk factors, including sex, age, Tegner activity level [TAL], pivoting sports, and concomitant injuries. Patient-reported outcomes measurements (Lysholm score, visual analog scale for pain, and TAL) and subsequent surgical interventions were registered after 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the influence of graft type, age, preinjury TAL, sex, pivoting sports, and concomitant interventions on the need to undergo subsequent surgery. RESULTS: After matching, 246 patients were included in the final analysis. Both groups did not differ regarding any preoperative patient demographics or intraoperative details. At final follow-up, no significant differences in mean Lysholm score (sQT: 90.8 ± 10.6, bQT: 91.8 ± 10.6, P = .46), median TAL (sQT: 6 [1-10], bQT: 6 [1-10], P = .53), and visual analog scale for pain (sQT: 0.7 ± 1.1, bQT: 0.7 ± 1.2, P = .70) were reported between both groups. A total of 70.3% (sQT-A: 70.7%, bQT: 69.9%, P = .89) of patients returned to or exceeded their preinjury activity level. In terms of revision ACLR, there was no statistically significant difference between bQT (3.3%) and sQT (4.1%). Similarly, no difference was observed in contralateral ACLR (bQT: 7.3% sQT: 11.4%). Regression analysis indicated that none of the studied factors, including the use of a patellar bone block, influenced subsequent surgery, revision ACLR, or contralateral ACLR. CONCLUSIONS: Harvesting an additional patellar bone block in quadriceps tendon ACLR does not seem to affect postoperative patient-reported outcomes, ACL revision, or contralateral ACL reconstruction rates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, cohort study.

Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction Using Pedicled Quadriceps Tendon Autograft Yields Similar Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcomes but Less Donor-Site Morbidity Compared With Gracilis Tendon Autograft.

PURPOSE: To compare clinical and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients with recurrent patellar dislocation after medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction using either a gracilis tendon (GT) or quadriceps tendon autograft (QT). METHODS: All MPFL reconstruction performed between 2017 and 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Only patients with isolated MPFL reconstruction, without any major patellofemoral risk factors and a minimum follow-up of 24 months, were included in the study. Patients were matched with respect to sex, age, and body mass index. All patients were evaluated clinically and using PROMs. RESULTS: A total of 64 patients with an average follow up of 28.7 ± 7.5 months were included in this study. The mean Kujala score (GT: 84.8 ± 12.9, QT: 88.9 ± 10.1), Lysholm score (GT: 89.4 ± 10.2, QT: 88.4 ± 5.0), and visual analog scale score for pain (GT: 1.9 ± 1.8, QT: 1.1 ± 1.3) did not significantly differ between both groups. Tegner activity level was significantly greater (P = .027) in the QT group (5.5 ± 1.9) compared with the GT group (4.6 ± 1.8), but within the minimal clinically important differences. Occasional patellar instability events, but no recurrent dislocation, were reported in 12.5% in the GT group and 6.3% in the QT group (P = .39). Of all patients, 90.6% in the QT and 68.8% in the HT group exceeded the PASS for the Kujala score (P = .06). Significantly more patients (59.4%) treated with GT reported donor-site morbidity in the form of sensitivity deficit at the lower leg compared with those treated with QT (3.1%, P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: GT and QT MPFL reconstruction have comparable PROMs and patellar redislocation rates 2 years' postoperatively. Significantly more patients treated with GT reported lower-leg sensitivity deficit compared with those treated with QT. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective case-control study.

Complications and downsides of the robotic total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review is to describe the complications and downsides of robotic systems in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: A comprehensive search according to the PRISMA guidelines was performed across PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, and Google Scholar from inception until December 2021. All articles of any study design directly reporting on complications and downsides of the robotic system in TKA were considered for inclusion. Risk of bias assessment was performed for all included studies using the Cochrane risk of bias and MINORS score. RESULTS: A total of 21 studies were included, consisting of 4 randomized controlled trials, 7 prospective studies and 10 retrospective studies. Complications of the robotic system were pin-hole fracture, pin-related infection, iatrogenic soft tissue and bony injury, and excessive blood loss. While, downsides were longer operative duration, higher intraoperative cost, learning curve and aborting a robotic TKA due to different reasons. Iatrogenic injuries were more common in the active robotic system and abortion of the robotic TKA was reported only with active robotic TKA. CONCLUSION: Robotic TKA is associated with certain advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, surgeons need to be familiar with the system to use it effectively. Widespread adoption of the robotic system should always be evidence-based. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Total knee arthroplasty improves sports activity and the patient-reported functional outcome at mid-term follow-up.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess (1) sports participation and preference for the type of sports activity after TKA, (2) mid-term functional outcome and activity level, (3) correlation of different age groups with activity level and functional outcomes, and (4) mid-term survivorship of the prosthesis. METHODS: A retrospective review of prospectively collected data was performed. 182 patients were included who underwent primary TKA between January 2010 and December 2016. Inclusion criteria were symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, age 50-90 years, and with a minimum of 5-year follow-up after TKA. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and revision TKA were excluded. Sports participation and sports preference, Oxford Knee Score (OKS), Tegner Activity Level, and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain were recorded pre- and postoperatively at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years. The patient cohort was subdivided according to age groups; activity levels, patient-reported outcomes, and improvement in knee pain were correlated with these age groups. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to investigate survivorship at a minimum of 5 years. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 75.6 ± 7.2 years (range 52-89). Significant improvement was noted in sports participation (p < 0.003). After TKA, there was no change in the preference for sports and none of the patients had to discontinue their sporting activity. OKS improved significantly at all follow-up time points compared to the preoperative score (p < .0001). Patients' sports and physical activity improved significantly at 1 year compared to the preoperative activity level (p < 0.001). Although the Tegner activity level improved over time, this improvement was not significant (NS), while it was significantly higher in males than in females (p < 0.004). Significant improvement was found in the VAS for pain at all follow-up time points compared to the preoperative score (p < .0001). Survivorship was found to be 100% at a 5-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: After TKA, patients can be able to return to sporting activity or even perform better than before surgery. Maximum improvement was noted in the first post-operative year. The male and younger groups perform better than the female and older groups. Sports and physical activity do not negatively impact survivorship of the knee prosthesis at mid-term follow-up and all patients are encouraged to take up sports participation after their TKA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3.

Quadriceps tendon autograft with or without bone block have comparable clinical outcomes, complications and revision rate for ACL reconstruction: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review is to report complications, graft failure, fixation methods, rehabilitation protocol, clinical and patient-reported outcomes, and return to sports with the use of quadriceps tendon graft with the bone block (QT-B) and without bone block (QT-S). METHODS: According to the PRISMA guidelines a comprehensive search was performed across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from inception until April 2022. Only prospective studies using quadriceps tendon autograft with a minimum of 20 patients were considered for inclusion. The outcome measures extracted from the studies were the KT-1000, Lysholm score, Subjective and Objective IKDC, Tegner, Marx Score, complications, failures and/or revision surgery, and rate of return to sports. Cochrane risk of bias and MINORS tool were used for the risk of bias assessment of all included studies. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies were included, consisting of 5 randomized controlled trials, 6 cohort studies, 1 case-control and 1 case series. A total of 484 patients received QT-S in 6 studies of which 224 (46.2%) were males and 212 (43.8%) females with a mean age of 21.5 ± 7.5 (range 14-58). While 243 patients received QT-B in 7 studies of which 167 (68.7%) were males and 76 (31.3%) females with a mean age of 28.9 ± 4.5 (range: 18-49). The studies analyzed had a mean MINORS score of 14.6 (range, 12-19). Both QT-B and QT-S for ACL reconstruction reported satisfactory results in terms of patient-reported outcome measures. Although, a slightly higher anterior laxity was found with the QT-S than with the QT-B. CONCLUSION: Quadriceps tendon with a bone block (QT-B) or without bone block (QT-S) for ACL reconstruction is supported by current literature. Both grafts are safe and viable options for ACL reconstruction with comparable clinical outcomes, complications and revision rates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO-CRD42022347134; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/.

Quadriceps autograft is a viable graft choice for arthroscopic ACL reconstruction in patients over 50 years of age.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patient-reported outcomes, graft failure, quadriceps rupture and sports preference after arthroscopic ACL reconstruction in patients older than 50 years who underwent arthroscopic ACL reconstruction with a quadriceps tendon (QT) autograft. METHODS: Between 2010 and 2020, prospectively collected data were obtained from an institutional database. Patients older than 50 years with primary arthroscopic ACL reconstruction and a minimum of 2 years of follow-up were included. Patients undergoing a revision ACL reconstruction or undergoing a primary ACL reconstruction using a graft other than a QT autograft, and patients with a contralateral knee injury or osteoarthritis (Ahlbäck stage 2 or higher) were excluded. A minimally invasive technique was used for QT autograft harvesting. Patients were evaluated for pre-injury and 2-year follow-up Lysholm knee score, Tegner activity level, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, graft failure, quadriceps tendon rupture, and return to sport. RESULTS: A total of 57 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the cohort was 54.9 ± 5.2 (range 50-75). Of the 57 reconstructions, 16 (28%) were isolated ACL reconstructions, while 41 (72%) were complex reconstructions (concomitant meniscus, cartilage and/or collateral ligament injuries). At the 2-year follow-up Lysholm knee score, Tegner activity level and VAS for pain improved to pre-injury level and no significant difference was noted between pre-injury and 2-year follow-up functional scores (n.s.). No case of graft failure or quadriceps tendon rupture was reported. No significant difference was noted in the pre-injury and postoperative sports preference (n.s.) and all patients return to their desired sports activity. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction by using QT autograft in highly active older patients provides satisfactory patient-reported functional outcomes and allows recovery of the pre-injury level of activity. QT autograft is a good graft option in patients older than 50 years. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Revision ACL reconstruction using quadriceps, hamstring and patellar tendon autografts leads to similar functional outcomes but hamstring graft has a higher tendency of graft failure.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences in the patient-reported functional outcomes, and graft failure in revision ACL reconstruction using quadriceps tendon (QT), Hamstring tendon (HT) and bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autografts. METHODS: Between 2010 and 2020, 97 patients who underwent revision ACL reconstruction (40 patients received a QT, 26 an HT and 31 a BPTB graft) met the inclusion criteria. Pre-injury and at 2-year postoperatively patients were evaluated for patient-reported functional outcomes; Lysholm knee score, Tegner activity level and VAS (visual analogue scale) for pain; and graft failure. Patient-reported outcomes and graft failure were compared between the QT, HT and BPTB groups. The patients with graft failure were not included for outcome analysis at 2-years of follow-up. RESULTS: All three revision groups with QT, HT and BPTB autograft did not differ significantly in terms of age, sex, time from injury to surgery, concomitant injuries and single-stage or double-stage procedures (n.s.). No significant difference was found in the pre-injury patient-reported outcome; Lysholm knee score, Tegner activity and VAS for pain (n.s.) between the three groups. At the 2-year follow-up functional outcomes improved in all three groups and all the patients returned to pre-injury activity level; however, no significant difference was found in functional outcomes at the 2-year follow-up between the three groups (n.s.). Graft failure occurred in 4 (10%), 5 (19%) and 3 (10%) patients of QT, HT and BPTB groups, respectively. However, the rate of failure did not differ significantly between groups. CONCLUSION: All three autografts (QT, HT and BPTB) demonstrated satisfactory patient-reported outcomes in revision ACL reconstruction. Compared with QT and BPTB grafts, HT graft showed a higher tendency for failure rates. With the increasing incidence of revision ACL reconstruction, surgeons should be aware of all the available graft options. The findings of this study will assist the surgeons in the graft selection for revision ACL reconstruction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

No difference in sports participation and patient-reported functional outcomes between total knee arthroplasty and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty at minimum 2-year follow-up in a matched control study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare (1) sports participation and type of sports activity between TKA and UKA patients; (2) functional outcome and activity level between TKA and UKA; and (3) survivorship of the prosthesis in both the groups. METHODS: Prospectively collected data were obtained from an arthroplasty database to identify patients who underwent primary TKA and UKA. Both the cohorts of TKA and UKA were matched, controlling for age, sex, BMI and preoperative patient-reported outcomes, which include Oxford Knee Score (OKS), Tegner activity level, and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain score. After matching the two groups, 287 TKA and 69 UKA cases were available to be included in the study. Patients were evaluated pre- and postoperatively at 2 years for sports participation and sports preference, patient-reported outcomes, activity levels, and improvement in knee pain. RESULTS: The mean age of the TKA and UKA groups were 75.7 ± 8.1 and 74.2 ± 8.8, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups concerning the demographic variables. Significant improvement was noted in the weekly sports participation at the final follow-up compared to preoperative sports participation in both the TKA and UKA groups (p < 0.05). All patients were able to return to their desired sporting activity. No significant difference was noted between the two groups in sports participation preoperatively and postoperatively (p > 0.05). OKS, Tegner activity level and VAS for pain demonstrated a significant improvement from preoperative to 2 years postoperatively (p < 0.05). However, preoperative and postoperative patient-reported outcomes did not differ significantly between the TKA and UKA groups (p > 0.05). No case of revision surgery was found at a 2-year follow-up in both groups. CONCLUSION: Traditionally, in isolated medial compartment osteoarthritis, UKA has been considered to be the procedure with better functional outcomes, but the current study demonstrates that when confounding factors are controlled, both TKA and UKA are effective, and offer similar functional outcomes and result in similar improvement in sports participation. These findings will be helpful to counsel the patients to choose the best suitable operative procedure between UKA and TKA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3.

Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction using quadriceps tendon autograft provides good clinical, functional and patient-reported outcome measurements (PROM): a 2-year prospective study.

PURPOSE: The medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is the most important ligamentous stabilizer preventing lateral patella dislocation. Numerous surgical procedures for MPFL reconstruction have been described in the literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical, functional and patient-reported (PROM) outcomes 2 years after minimally invasive MPFL reconstruction performed using an autologous strip of the quadriceps tendon. METHODS: Thirty-six patients (38 knees) were included in the study. For MPFL reconstruction, a partial thickness autologous quadriceps tendon graft was used. All patients were evaluated clinically and with patient-reported outcome questionnaires including the Tegner, Lysholm and Kujala scores as well as a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain preoperatively and at 6, 12 and 24 months postoperatively. A functional Back-in-Action (BIA) test battery, including a total of seven stability, agility and jumping tests, was performed on 19 (50%) patients at the final follow-up. One patient was lost to follow-up at 24 months. RESULTS: The mean age at the time of operation was 25.2 ± 6.1 years. No redislocations occurred during the period of investigation. The mean Lysholm score improved significantly from 79.3 ± 16.1 preoperatively to 83.2 ± 14.4 at 6 months, 88.1 ± 11.3 at 12 months and to 90.0 ± 9.6 at 24 months follow-up. No change throughout the study period was observed for the median Tegner Activity Score (median 6). The mean Kujala score increased from a preoperative value of 82.0 ± 12.4, to 84.5 ± 8.4 at 6 months, and 88.2 ± 5.8 at 12 months up to 88.7 ± 4.5 at 24 months follow-up. A total of 77.8% of the performed functional BIA tests were equal to or above the norm for patients of the corresponding ages and activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive MPFL reconstruction with a partial thickness strip of quadriceps tendon is a safe and effective treatment for patellofemoral instability. Good clinical, functional and subjective results were observed at the 2-year follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prospective cohort study, non-randomized, Level IV.

Non-operative treatment of ACL injury is associated with opposing subjective and objective outcomes over 20 years of follow-up.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was the evaluation of long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of non-operative treatment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficiency. The hypothesis was that conservative treatment would be associated with a deterioration of subjective and objective measures of joint health and disability over time. METHODS: From an initial sample of 41 patients conservatively treated for ACL rupture, 10 received secondary ACL reconstruction, 1 was excluded due to contralateral ACL injury, and 1 patient required total knee replacement and a high tibial osteotomy. Seven further patients were lost to follow-up. The remaining 21 patients (15 male, 6 female, mean age 53.1 ± 9.2 years at the last follow-up) were evaluated by the same two examiners 5-7, 10-13 and 20-22 years after the injury. The evaluation was based on objective and subjective scores, instrumented testing, radiographic examination and assessment of sports activity. RESULTS: While subjective patient satisfaction improved over time, objective scores stayed constant or deteriorated (radiologic evaluation). Instrumented knee laxity testing showed an initial tendency to increasing instability, followed by a decrease in anterior tibial translation in the second half of the observation period. Physical activity levels, particularly in high-risk sports, decreased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to preinjury levels. All patients developed significant arthritic degenerative changes over time compared to the uninjured contralateral knee. No correlation to activities in high- or low-risk pivoting sports was found. CONCLUSIONS: Patient satisfaction with conservative treatment of ACL injuries is good in spite of objective measures indicating increasing degenerative changes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Impact of surgical timing on the outcome of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is the comparison of acute ACL reconstruction with or without meniscus repair within 48 h after injury and a delayed surgery during the inflammation-free interval. It was hypothesized that acute ACL reconstruction results in inferior patient reported outcomes and higher frequency of range of motion deficits. METHODS: The effect of acute (within 48 h) and delayed (during the inflammation-free interval) ACL surgery was prospectively studied on 160 consecutive patients with ACL injury between January 2010 and December 2011. Subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate patients with an additional meniscus repair separately from isolated ACL surgeries. During the study period, partial meniscectomies were recorded to evaluate time dependent meniscus reparability. Patient reported outcomes, objective IKDC and manual stability measurements were documented during the 24-month follow-up period. The Pearson Chi-squared test was used to evaluate objective outcome measures. The Mann-Whitney U test was performed to analyse the results of patient reported outcomes. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: For patients who underwent isolated ACL reconstruction, no statistical significant difference was observed at any time point regarding objective and subjective outcome measures. Significantly fewer patients who underwent acute combined ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair had an extension deficit between 3° and 5° at 12 months following surgery (3.7 vs. 22.2 %, p < 0.05). No difference regarding cyclops removal, re-injury of ACL or meniscus was found between the two surgical timing groups. Further, surgical timing did not influence the reparability of the meniscus. CONCLUSION: An acute ACL reconstruction within 48 h is preferable in highly active patients or competitive athletes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prospective cohort study, Level II.

Double-Needle Technique for Temporary Stabilization of Unstable Meniscal Tear During All-Inside Meniscal Repair.

Meniscus tears are common in patients with primary or revision anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Given their important mechanical role in the joint, efforts are being made to repair as much of the meniscus tear as possible. However, all-inside repair might be challenging in case of an unstable tear due to the dislocation of the meniscal flap after deploying the first anchor. Therefore, we describe the details of our technique that allows the surgeon to stabilize the meniscal tear before all-inside repair, ensuring the reduction of the tear throughout the entire procedure.

Pulsed lavage is associated with better quality of bone-cement-implant interface in knee arthroplasties (TKA/UKA) compared to syringe lavage in vitro; however, clinical data are missing: A systematic review.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review is to analyse the available literature to ascertain the optimal method of bone preparation to improve the quality of bone-cement-implant interface with either pulsed lavage or syringe lavage in both total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across MEDLINE, Scopus and Embase databases until July 2023. Both inclusion and exclusion criteria were clearly stated and used to identify all the published studies. Subsequent screening throughout the title, abstract and full text was made, followed by complete critical appraisal and data extraction. This sequential process was performed by two reviewers independently and summarised following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines). A quality assessment of the systematic review was performed according to the Quality Appraisal for Cadaveric Studies scale (QUACS), reaching a quality level ranging from 69% to 85%. Results: A total of 10 articles, out of 47, nine biomechanical cadaveric studies and one human clinical study were analysed. A total of 196 UKA tibial components, 74 patellar components, 36 TKA tibial components and 24 UKA femoral components were retrieved, and a high level of heterogeneity resulted overall. The pulsed lavage group showed better cement penetration and higher pull-out force than the syringe lavage group; a higher interface temperature was also found in the pulsed lavage group. No differences were found regarding tension ligament forces between the groups. Conclusion: Our systematic review suggests that pulsed lavage is superior to syringe lavage in terms of the quality of bone-cement-implant interface in knee arthroplasties (TKA/UKA). However, translation of these results from cadaveric studies to individual clinical settings may be hazardous; therefore, clinical in vivo prospective studies are highly needed. PROSPERO CRD: PROSPERO CRD number CRD42023432399. Level of Evidence: Level III.

The "Golden Age" of quadriceps tendon grafts for the anterior cruciate ligament: a bibliometric analysis.

IMPORTANCE: Bibliometric research is a statistical analysis of publications to measure the scientific output in a specific field in order to highlight medical developments or knowledge gaps and to direct future scientific research. The quantity of orthopedic papers on the internet is astounding and is steadily growing as a result of recent advancements in technology and medicine. This is why choosing the right information is essential. AIM: The purpose of this study was to analyze the current literature for trends in publications regarding quadriceps tendon (QT) grafting of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). EVIDENCE REVIEW: PubMed was searched on August 28, 2023. References were collected from PubMed, and trends were analyzed using this information. This search retrieved 405 articles regarding human and animal studies. We analyzed the top 10 authors and journals in terms of publication numbers, citation numbers, and citations per year. The PubMed-by-year feature was used to compare the number of publications regarding ACL reconstruction by quadriceps grafting with all publications in PubMed. FINDINGS: The number of yearly publications averaged 10 or less up to 2018, starting from 1982 when the first paper on the QT was published. However, the number of publications increased from 2018. While the total number of publications on this topic was 405, 260 were published from 2018 alone. The number of citations was 8262 in total overall years. It is expected that the last five years' publications, especially those for the last year, will be low in number, as it takes time for citations to accrue. The journal Arthroscopy published the most articles on this topic, with 57 papers and 1884 citations, followed by the American Journal of Sports Medicine, with 39 articles and 1576 citations. The top three journals on this topic were Arthroscopy, AmericanJournalofSportsMedicine, and KneeSurgery, SportsTraumatology, Arthroscopy. The most published author was Musahl V (with 24 articles), and the most cited author was Xerogeanes JW (with 570 citations). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Global trend analysis suggests that research on anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with the quadriceps has significantly increased in the last 5 years and that the number of papers on this topic is increasing steadily. We found that the publications and citations are exhibiting a rising trend, Arthroscopy is the most impactful journal, and Musahl V is the most impactful author on the topic. Xerogeanes JW is the author with the most citations on the topic. The promising clinical results of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with the QT have attracted the most research interest. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Primary Versus Revision ACL Reconstruction Using Quadriceps Autograft: A Matched-Control Cohort Study.

Background: The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is increasing, and quadriceps tendon (QT) autograft is gaining popularity for both primary and revision ACL reconstruction. Purpose: To evaluate the differences in the patient-reported functional outcomes, concomitant injuries, and graft failure in primary versus revision ACL surgery using QT autograft. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 376 patients with primary ACL reconstruction and 138 patients with revision ACL reconstruction were retrospectively retrieved from a prospectively collected ACL registry. A minimally invasive technique was used for QT autograft harvesting. The surgical procedure and rehabilitation protocol were identical in both groups. To maintain a homogeneous cohort for the study, the groups were matched by age, sex, and preinjury outcome scores (Lysholm knee score, Tegner activity level, and visual analog scale [VAS] for pain). Initial baseline assessments of outcome scores were compared with scores collected at the 2-year postoperative mark. Results: The mean age of the primary group and revision group was 32.9 ± 10.2 years (range, 18-55 years) and 32.3 ± 9.9 years (range, 19-55 years) respectively. Significant preinjury to postoperative improvements were noted in Lysholm (88.2 ± 16.4 vs 83.5 ± 15.0; P = .007) and VAS pain (0.9 ± 1.3 vs 1.5 ± 1.6; P = .001) scores after primary ACL reconstruction compared with revision reconstruction. However, no significant difference was found in Tegner activity level (6.7 ± 1.8 vs 5.9 ± 1.8; P > .430). Primary ACL injury was associated with significantly higher concomitant medial collateral ligament injuries (P = .019), while the revision group was associated with significantly higher concomitant cartilage (P = .001) and meniscal (P = .003) injuries. A significantly higher graft failure rate was noted in the revision group compared with the primary ACL reconstruction group (13.0% vs 5.6%; P = .005). Conclusion: Both primary and revision ACL reconstruction with QT autograft had acceptable functional outcomes. The primary group had better outcomes than the revision group, possibly due to the lower prevalence of meniscal and cartilage injuries in the primary group compared with the revision group. The revision group was associated with higher graft failure than the primary group. QT autograft is a viable graft choice for both primary and revision ACL reconstruction.

Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty is not associated with improved accuracy in implant position and alignment compared to conventional instrumentation in the execution of a preoperative digital plan.

Purpose: The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate if robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RO-TKA) results in improved accuracy compared to conventional TKA (CO-TKA) with respect to alignment and component positioning executing a preoperative digital plan. The secondary objective was to compare patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) between the two groups at 6 months of follow-up (FU). Methods: Patients who underwent primary TKA using the concept of constitutional alignment were identified from the database. Each patient underwent preoperative digital planning as well as postoperative evaluation of the preoperative plan (alignment and component position) using mediCAD® software (Hectec GmbH). Two groups were formed: (i) The RO-TKA group (n = 30) consisted of patients who underwent TKA with a robotic surgical system (ROSA®, Zimmer Biomet) and (ii) the CO-TKA group (n = 67) consisted of patients who underwent TKA with conventional instrumentation. To assess accuracy, all qualitative variables were analysed using the χ 2 test. Tegner activity scale, Oxford Knee Score and visual analogue scale were assessed preop and at 6-month FU. To assess differences between the two groups, a 2 × 2 repeated measures analysis of variance was performed. Results: There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in the accuracy of alignment as well as tibial and femoral component position between the two groups. At the 6-month FU, there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in PROMs between the two groups. Conclusion: While robotic TKA may have some potential advantages, no significant difference was found between robotic and conventional TKA with respect to limb alignment, clinical outcomes and component positioning. Level of Evidence: Level III.

Increased Intra-Articular Internal Tibial Rotation Is Associated With Unstable Medial Meniscus Ramp Lesions in ACL-Injured Athletes: An MRI Matched-Pair Comparative Study.

Purpose: To analyze internal tibial rotation through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries with and without an unstable medial meniscal ramp lesion (MMRL). Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively data was performed to include all consecutive patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction (ACLR) between January 2022 and June 2022. Two groups, ACLR + unstable MMRL and ACLR without MMRL, were constituted. Propensity score matching analysis was used to limit selection bias. The angle between surgical epicondylar axes (SEAs) and the tangent line of the posterior tibial condyles (PTCs) was measured to analyze the rotational alignment between distal femur and proximal tibia. MMRLs were defined unstable if they were ≥1 cm, if the lesions extend beyond the lower pole of the femoral condyle, and/or if there was displacement into the medial compartment by anterior probing. Results: Twenty-eight propensity-matched pairs were included. The ACLR + unstable MMRL presented a significantly greater internal rotation of the tibia compared to ACLR without MMRL (P < .001). An internal tibial rotation was associated with unstable ramp lesions in ACL-injured patients (odds ratio [OR], 0.36; 95% CI, 0.25-0.41; P < .0001). If SEA-PTC was 0°, the sensitivity and specificity of the SEA-PTC angle to detect unstable MMRL were respectively 100% (95% CI, 85%-100%) and 18% (95% CI, 8%-36%). Otherwise, if SEA-PTC angle was -10°, the sensitivity and specificity of the SEA-PTC angle to detect unstable MMRL were respectively 43% (95% CI, 27%-61%) and 96% (95% CI, 81%-100%). Bone edema of the posterior medial tibial plateau was significantly associated with unstable ramp lesions (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.21-2.06; P = .029). Conclusions: Unstable MMRL concomitant to an ACL rupture was associated with an increased tibial internal rotation. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative trial.

A slight degree of osteoarthritis appears to be present after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction compared with contralateral healthy knees at a minimum of 20 years: A systematic review of the literature.

Purpose: The aim of the present systematic review was to quantitatively synthesize the best literature evidence regarding osteoarthritis developing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), including only studies with a follow-up duration of at least 20 years. Material and Methods: A systematic review was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines on four electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE and Cochrane Library). The outcome measures extracted from the studies were failure rate, subsequent knee surgery on the same knee, radiographic development of osteoarthritis measured with Kellgren-Lawrence, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) radiographic score and Ahlbäck classification. The health of both the ACLR knee and the contralateral knee was compared. Results: A total of 1552 patients were included in the study, of which 1290 (83.11%) were operated on using a patellar tendon graft, 190 (12.24%) with hamstrings, 27 (1.73%) with an iliotibial band and 45 (2.89%) with patellar tendon plus a ligament augmentation device (LAD). The mean age at the time of surgery was 25.18 ± 1.91 years, and the mean follow-up time was 23.34 ± 2.56 years. Analysing IDKC Score at final follow-up, ACLR Group showed a higher degree of OA compared with contralateral healthy knee (p < 0.01), but only 33.2% (324/976) of the patients showed a moderate to severe degree (Grade C or D) of osteoarthritis, while for Kellgren-Lawrence, ACLR Group showed a higher degree of OA compared with contralateral healthy knee (p < 0.01), but only 28.9% (196/678) of the patients showed a moderate to severe degree (Grade III or IV) of osteoarthritis. In total, 1552 patients were registered, 155 reruptures (9.98%) and a total of 300 (19.3%) new surgeries, of which 228 meniscectomy (14.69%), 21 (1.35%) knee arthroplasty and 17 (1.09%) hardware removal were recorded. Conclusions: ACL reconstruction appears to result in mild osteoarthritis in the long term in most of the patients and only less than 33.2% develop a moderate to severe degree of knee OA according to IKDC radiographic score. A slight degree of osteoarthritis appears to be present in ACLR knees compared with contralateral healthy knees. Level of Evidence: Level IV.

Return to Play and Pattern of Injury After ACL Rupture in a Consecutive Series of Elite UEFA Soccer Players.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament rupture represents a career-threatening injury for professional soccer players. Purpose: To analyze the pattern of injury, return to play (RTP), and performance of a consecutive series of elite professional soccer players after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: We evaluated the medical records of 40 consecutive elite soccer players who underwent ACLR by a single surgeon between September 2018 and May 2022. Patient age, height, weight, body mass index, position, injury history, affected side, RTP time, minutes played per season (MPS), and MPS as a percentage of playable minutes before and after ACLR were retrieved from medical records and from publicly available media-based platforms. Results: Included were 27 male patients (mean ± SD age at surgery, 23.2 ± 4.3 years; range, 18-34 years). The injury occurred during matches in 24 players (88.9%), with a noncontact mechanism in 22 (91.7%). Meniscal pathology was found in 21 patients (77.8%). Lateral meniscectomy and meniscal repair were performed in 2 (7.4%) and 14 (51.9%) patients, respectively, and medial meniscectomy and meniscal repair were performed in 3 (11.1%) and 13 (48.1%) patients, respectively. A total of 17 players (63.0%) underwent ACLR with bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft and 10 (37.0%) with soft tissue quadriceps tendon. Lateral extra-articular tenodesis was added in 5 patients (18.5%). The overall RTP rate was 92.6% (25 of 27). Two athletes moved to a lower league after surgery. The mean MPS% during the last preinjury season was 56.69% ± 21.71%; this decreased significantly to 29.18% ± 20.6% (P < .001) in the first postoperative season and then increased to 57.76% ± 22.89% and 55.89% ± 25.8% in the second and third postoperative seasons. Two (7.4%) reruptures and 2 (7.4%) failed meniscal repairs were reported. Conclusion: ACLR in elite UEFA soccer players was associated with a 92.6% rate of RTP and 7.4% rate of reinjury within 6 months after primary surgery. Moreover, 7.4% of soccer players moved to a lower league during the first season after surgery. Age, graft selection, concomitant treatments, and lateral extra-articular tenodesis were not significantly associated with prolonged RTP.