Improvement in Gait Speed Affects Short-term Improvement in Activities of Daily Living in Patients with Moderate and Severe Knee Osteoarthritis.

Objectives: It is unclear whether improvements in knee pain or physical function lead to improvements in activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QOL) in patients with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis (KOA). This study aimed to investigate whether improvements in knee pain and physical function, achieved through exercise therapy, lead to improvements in ADL and QOL in patients with moderate to severe KOA. Methods: This case-control study included 18 patients with KOA. We evaluated knee range of motion, knee extension muscle strength (KEM), gait speed, knee pain, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)-ADL, and KOOS-QOL at the first visit and after 3 months of exercise therapy. Patients were classified into the ADL and QOL improvement or no-improvement groups. Statistical analysis used split factorial analysis of variance with time and group as the main effects. When interactions were observed, post-hoc analysis was performed with two-sample t-tests. Results: For ADL improvement, the improvements in KEM of the affected side and gait speed were statistically significant. At 3 months, the gait speed of the improvement group was significantly higher than that of the no-improvement group. For QOL improvement, there was no significant interaction for any of the factors evaluated. Conclusions: No factor showed significant contribution to improved QOL in patients with moderate to severe KOA. However, increased gait speed may improve ADL and contribute to the development of efficient rehabilitation programs for patients with moderate to severe KOA.

Determining the Relationship between Mechanical Properties and Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Joint Soft Tissues Using Patient-Specific Templates.

To determine whether the mechanical properties of joint soft tissues such as cartilage can be calculated from quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, we investigated whether the mechanical properties of articular cartilage and meniscus scheduled to be resected during arthroplasty are correlated with the T2 relaxation time on quantitative MRI at the same location. Six patients who had undergone knee arthroplasty and seven who had undergone hip arthroplasty were examined. For the knee joint, the articular cartilage and lateral meniscus of the distal lateral condyle of the femur and proximal lateral tibia were examined, while for the hip joint, the articular cartilage above the femoral head was studied. We investigated the relationship between T2 relaxation time by quantitative MRI and stiffness using a hand-made compression tester at 235 locations. The patient-individualized template technique was used to align the two measurement sites. The results showed a negative correlation (from -0.30 to -0.35) in the less severely damaged articular cartilage and meniscus. This indicates that tissue mechanical properties can be calculated from T2 relaxation time, suggesting that quantitative MRI is useful in determining when to start loading after interventional surgery on cartilage tissue and in managing the health of elderly patients.

The Impact of Multidisciplinary Approaches to Social Functioning on Surgical Outcomes After Surgery for Cervical Myelopathy.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: To identify the effects of multidisciplinary approaches (MAs) to improve social functioning (SF) on 1-year surgical outcomes in patients with cervical myelopathy. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Despite significant improvement in cervical myelopathy, a patient's quality of life (QOL) sometimes does not improve postoperatively. A previous study revealed that SF, rather than myelopathy severity, correlated with QOL improvement after decompression surgery for cervical myelopathy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study compared two prospective cohorts in Japan. Patients who underwent cervical laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy from 2018 to 2020 were enrolled in the control cohort. Patients who underwent the same surgery with the same indications between 2020 and 2021 were enrolled in the MA cohort. Patients in the control cohort were treated with a standard care protocol, and those in the MA cohort were treated with a multidisciplinary protocol that focused on SF improvement. The changes in the total Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and in the domains of the JOA scores (upper limb function, lower limb function, upper limb sensory, and lower limb sensory) from preoperatively to 1 year postoperatively were compared between the control and MA cohorts using a mixed-effect model. RESULTS: The control and MA cohorts comprised 140 and 31 patients, respectively. The improvement in the JOA score was significantly better in the MA cohort than in the control cohort ( P = 0.040). In analyses of each JOA score domain, the improvement of upper limb function was significantly better in the MA cohort than in the control cohort ( P = 0.033). Similarly, the MA cohort demonstrated significantly higher patient-reported outcomes for upper extremity function than the control cohort ( P < 0.001). In addition, the self-care domain of QOL score at 1 year postoperatively was significantly higher in the MA cohort than in the control cohort ( P = 0.047). CONCLUSION: MAs to improve/rebuild a patient's SF were effective in improving cervical myelopathy and the self-care domain of QOL. This study is the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of postoperative MAs in patients with cervical myelopathy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3.

Analyses of associated factors with concomitant meniscal injury and irreparable meniscal tear at primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in young patients.

Purpose: Although several factors related to the concomitant meniscal injury at anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) have been investigated in a general population, few studies have identified the risk factors of meniscal tear severity in young patients in which the majority of ACL tears occur. The purpose of this study was to analyze the associated factors with meniscal injury and irreparable meniscal tear and the timeline for medial meniscal injury at ACL-R in young patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of young patients (13 to 29 years of age) who underwent ACL-R by a single surgeon from 2005 to 2017 was conducted. Predictor variables (age, sex,body mass index [BMI], time from injury to surgery [TS], and pre-injury Tegner activity level) for meniscal injury and irreparable meniscal tear were analyzed with multivariate logistic. Results: Four hundred and seventy-three consecutive patients with an average of 31.2 months post-operative follow-up were enrolled in this study. The risk factors for medial meniscus injury were TS (<= 3 months) (odds ratio [OR], 3.915; 95% CI, 2.630-5.827; P < .0001) and higher BMI (OR, 1.062; 95% CI, 1.002-1.125; P = 0.0439). The presence of irreparable medial meniscal tears correlated with higher BMI (OR, 1.104; 95% CI, 1.011-1.205; P = 0.0281). Conclusion: An increased time from ACL tear to surgery of 3 months was strongly associated with an increased risk of medial meniscus injury, but not related to irreparable medial meniscal tear at primary ACL reconstruction in young patients. Level of Evidence: Level IV.

Development of locomotive syndrome in elderly population after COVID-19 outbreak: A population-based cross-sectional study with over 12,000 participants.

BACKGROUND: Restrictions during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have decreased physical activity levels, which may result in locomotive syndrome. This study evaluated the change in locomotive syndrome prevalence and associated risk factors among an elderly population before and after a coronavirus outbreak. METHODS: This written self-administered cross-sectional survey was conducted in conjunction with the coronavirus disease vaccination program in Habikino City, Japan. Participants who were aged ≥65 years completed the five-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale before and during the pandemic. The diagnosis of locomotive syndrome and its stage was based on the Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale score: stage 1 (2-3 points), 2 (4-5 points), and 3 (≥6 points). Data on lifestyle changes, including regular exercise, during the pandemic were collected. RESULTS: This study included 12,197 participants (36.7% of the city's total elderly residents). The prevalence of locomotive syndrome increased from 41.3% to 47.1% after the outbreak. In total, 765 (6.3% of overall population) and 295 (9.5% of the participants who had stages 1-2 before the pandemic) participants developed locomotive syndrome and stage 3 locomotive syndrome, respectively. The multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that a decrease in exercise was significantly associated with the onset of locomotive syndrome (all stages) (odds ratio = 2.5, p < 0.001) and locomotive syndrome stage 3 (odds ratio = 2.6, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Extrapolation of the study's findings to the entire population of Japan suggests that approximately 2 million elderly individuals might develop locomotive syndrome after the coronavirus outbreak. Additionally, 10% of the participants with mild-moderate locomotive syndrome before the pandemic may develop severe locomotive syndrome after the outbreak. The greatest risk factor for new-onset or worsening locomotive syndrome was a decrease in daily exercise. Thus, there is an urgent need for adequate exercise guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic, especially for the elderly population.

Increased Surgical Experience in Microendoscopic Spinal Surgery Can Reduce Development of Postoperative Spinal Epidural Hematoma and Improve the Clinical Outcomes.

No reports have previously evaluated the association between surgical technique and the incidence of postoperative spinal epidural hematoma (PSEH) following microendoscopic decompression surgery (MED). This study aimed to evaluate the association between the development of radiographic PSEH (rPSEH) following MED and microendoscopic surgical experience and postoperative clinical outcomes related to the quality of life (QoL). This retrospective cohort study included 3922 patients who had undergone MED performed by a single surgeon. rPSEH was defined as a hematoma that was identified via routine magnetic resonance images performed 3−4 days postoperatively. Patients were divided into rPSEH and control groups to identify the risk factor of rPSEH and assess clinical outcomes. In the multivariate analysis, age (p = 0.002), surgical experience (p = 0.003), surgical time (p = 0.038), multilevel decompression (p < 0.001), and diagnosis (p = 0.004) were identified as independent variables associated with rPSEH. Moreover, in mixed-effect models, the rPSEH group showed less improvement in Oswestry Disability Index (p = 0.014) than the control group. In conclusion, the surgical experience was identified as a risk factor for rPSEH that could lead to poor QoL. The sharing of microendoscopic surgical techniques among surgeons may reduce rPSEH incidence and improve patients' QoL.

Postoperative Physical Therapy Program Focused on Low Back Pain Can Improve Treatment Satisfaction after Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression.

Patient satisfaction is crucial in pay-for-performance initiatives. To achieve further improvement in satisfaction, modifiable factors should be identified according to the surgery type. Using a prospective cohort, we compared the overall treatment satisfaction after microendoscopic lumbar decompression between patients treated postoperatively with a conventional physical therapy (PT) program (control; n = 100) and those treated with a PT program focused on low back pain (LBP) improvement (test; n = 100). Both programs included 40 min outpatient sessions, once per week for 3 months postoperatively. Adequate compliance was achieved in 92 and 84 patients in the control and test cohorts, respectively. There were no significant differences in background factors; however, the patient-reported pain score at 3 months postoperatively was significantly better, and treatment satisfaction was significantly higher in the test than in the control cohort (-0.02 ± 0.02 vs. -0.03 ± 0.03, p = 0.029; 70.2% vs. 55.4%, p = 0.045, respectively). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, patients treated with the LBP program tended to be more satisfied than those treated with the conventional program, independent of age, sex, and diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio = 2.34, p = 0.012). Postoperative management with the LBP program could reduce pain more effectively and aid spine surgeons in achieving higher overall satisfaction after minimally invasive lumbar decompression, without additional pharmacological therapy.

Decreased daily exercise since the COVID-19 pandemic and the deterioration of health-related quality of life in the elderly population: a population-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUNDS: The current prolonging state of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), could affect many aspects of people's lives, especially the elderly population who experience a decrease in regular exercise. However, whether this decrease in regular exercise affects health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of the elderly population, remains unclear. METHODS: The current population-based cross-sectional survey aimed to identify the relationship between the decrease in regular exercise since the COVID-19 pandemic and any changes in the HRQOL in the general elderly Japanese population. This study was conducted as a part of the COVID-19 vaccination program in Habikino city in Japan, between June and July 2021 using printed questionnaires. The participants included residents of the city who were aged ≥ 65 years, and were being vaccinated for COVID-19 at the city's center. The EuroQoL 5-dimension 5-level (EQ-5D-5L) was assessed at two different time points (pre-pandemic and current). Data on lifestyle changes, including their regular exercise routine since the pandemic, were collected. RESULTS: Finally, 14,494 participants (45.3% of the city's total elderly residents) were enrolled. Among them, 4321 participants (29.8%) had experienced a decrease in regular exercise since the pandemic. These participants showed a significantly higher rate of deterioration in all the EQ-5D-5L domains than the participants who did not experience a decrease in regular exercise. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, participants with a decrease in regular exercise were significantly related to the EQ-5D-5L index deterioration compared to those with an unchanged regular exercise routine (p < 0.001, adjusted odds ratio = 5.60) independent of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and the existence of back pain, joint pain, and/or numbness of extremities. CONCLUSION: The current survey that included 45% of the elderly people living in a city revealed that up to 30% of them had experienced a decrease in the regular exercise since the COVID-19 pandemic. This decrease was significantly related to HRQOL deterioration independent of age, sex, BMI, baseline activities of daily living status, and musculoskeletal symptoms. Our data could be useful for understanding the current problem and provide a strong basis for the creation of exercise guidelines for the post-COVID-19 era.

Characteristics and Short-Term Surgical Outcomes of Patients with Recurrent Lumbar Disc Herniation after Percutaneous Laser Disc Decompression.

Background and Objectives: Although percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD) is one of the common treatment methods for patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH), the recurrence of LDH after PLDD is estimated at 4-5%. This study compares the preoperative clinical data and clinical outcomes of patients who underwent primary microendoscopic discectomy (MED) or MED following PLDD. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 2678 patients who underwent MED for LDH. The PLDD group included patients with previous PLDD history at the same level of LDH, and a matched control group was created using propensity score matching for age, sex, and body mass index. Preoperative data, preoperative radiographic findings, and surgical data of the groups were compared. To compare postoperative changes in clinical scores between the groups, a mixed-effect model was used. Results: As a result, 42 patients (1.6%) had previously undergone PLDD, and a control group with 42 patients were created. The disc degeneration severity was not significantly different between the groups. However, Modic changes were more frequent in the PLDD group than in the matched control group (p = 0.028). There were no significant differences in dural adhesion rate or surgery-related complications including dural injury, length of stay, and recurrence rate of LDH after surgery. In addition, the improvement of clinical scores did not significantly differ between the two groups (p = 0.112, 0.913, respectively). Conclusions: We concluded that patients with recurrent LDH after PLDD have advanced endplate degeneration, which may reflect endplate injury from a previous PLDD. However, a previous history of PLDD does not have a negative impact on the clinical result of MED.

Risk Factors Related to the Presence of Meniscal Injury and Irreparable Meniscal Tear at Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have attempted to identify risk factors associated with irreparable meniscal tears at anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and to describe follow-up data, such as the failure rate, after meniscal repair. PURPOSE: To investigate the associations of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), time to surgery (TTS), and preinjury Tegner score with the presence of meniscal injuries and irreparable meniscal tears at primary ACLR. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on 784 patients who underwent primary ACLR by a single surgeon between 2005 and 2017 (406 men and 378 women; mean age, 25.8 years; mean BMI, 23.1; median TTS, 3 months; median preinjury Tegner score, 7). All patients had a minimum follow-up of 12 months (mean postoperative follow-up, 33.0 months). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the association of patient variables with the presence of meniscal injuries and irreparable meniscal tears during primary ACLR. RESULTS: The risk factor for medial meniscal injuries was TTS ≥3 months (odds ratio [OR], 4.213; 95% CI, 3.104-5.719; P < .001). The presence of irreparable medial meniscal tears increased with older age (OR, 1.053; 95% CI, 1.024-1.084; P < .001), higher BMI (OR, 1.077; 95% CI, 1.003-1.156; P = .042), and TTS ≥3 months (OR, 1.794; 95% CI, 1.046-3.078; P = .034). On multivariate analysis, none of the variables were significantly associated with lateral meniscal injuries and irreparable meniscal tears. The failure rate, defined as patients who needed additional medial meniscal surgery after medial meniscal repair, was 4.6%. CONCLUSION: Time from ACL injury to reconstruction of ≥3 months was strongly associated with medial meniscal injuries and irreparable medial meniscal tears at primary ACLR. Older age and increased BMI were also risk factors for the presence of irreparable medial meniscal tears at ACLR.

Arthroscopic Repair for Parrot Beak Tear of Lateral Meniscus with Reduction Suture and Inside-Out Technique.

Parrot beak tear is a white-white meniscal injury that often occurs in isolated injuries. Partial meniscectomy for parrot beak tears is often recommended, owing to the avascular zone; however, partial meniscectomy, especially with the lateral meniscus, has a high failure rate for return to sports, leading to residual meniscus extrusion and lateral compartment osteoarthritis. Thus, we have developed a repair technique to preserve the parrot beak tear of the avascular zone. This is a modification of the inside-out repair with additional reduction sutures. We recommend this procedure as a technique for repairing avascular parrot beak tears of the lateral meniscus.

The short-term outcomes of minimally invasive decompression surgery in patients with lumbar ossification or calcification of the ligamentum flavum.

OBJECTIVE: Although minimally invasive endoscopic surgery techniques are established standard treatment choices for various degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine, the surgical indications of such techniques for specific cases, such as segments with ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) or calcification of the ligamentum flavum (CLF), remain under investigation. Therefore, the authors aimed to demonstrate the short-term outcomes of minimally invasive endoscopic surgery in patients with degenerative lumbar disease with CLF or OLF. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study including consecutive patients who underwent microendoscopic posterior decompression at the authors' institution, where the presence of OLF and CLF did not influence the surgical indication. Fifty-nine patients with OLF and 39 patients with CLF on preoperative CT were identified from the database. Subsequently, two matched control groups (one each matched to the OLF and CLF groups) were created using propensity scores to adjust for age, sex, preoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and Oswestry Disability Index, and diagnosis. The background, surgical outcomes, and changes in clinical scores were compared between the matched groups. If there was a significant difference in the improvement of clinical scores, a multivariate linear regression model was applied. RESULTS: On performing univariate analysis, patients with OLF were found to have a higher body mass index (Mann-Whitney U-test, p = 0.001), higher incidence of preoperative motor weakness (chi-square test, p = 0.019), longer operative time (Mann-Whitney U-test, p < 0.001), and lower improvement in the JOA score (mixed-effects model, p = 0.023) than the matched controls. On performing multivariate analysis, the presence of OLF was identified as an independent variable associated with a poor recovery rate based on the JOA score (multivariate linear regression, p < 0.001). In contrast, there were no significant differences between patients with CLF and their matched controls in terms of preoperative and surgical data and postoperative improvements in clinical scores. CONCLUSIONS: Although the perioperative surgical outcomes, including the surgical complications, and the in-hospital period did not significantly differ, the short-term improvement in the JOA score was significantly lower in patients with degenerative lumbar disease accompanied by OLF than in the patients from the matched control group. In contrast, there were no significant differences in the short-term improvement in clinical scores and perioperative outcomes between patients with CLF and their matched control group. Thus, the surgical indications of minimally invasive posterior decompression for patients with CLF can be the same as those for patients without CLF; however, the indications for patients with OLF should be further investigated in future studies, including the other surgical methods.

Factors Related to Postoperative Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Lateral Femoral Condyle After Meniscal Surgery in Juvenile Patients With a Discoid Lateral Meniscus.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to assess the incidence of postoperative osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) and the related epidemiologic factors following meniscal surgery for juvenile discoid lateral meniscus (DLM). METHODS: The study was a retrospective review of 103 knees in 89 patients with a mean age of 12.1 years who underwent arthroscopic meniscal surgery for DLM. Mean follow-up was 4.2 years. The surgical procedures were either saucerization, saucerization with repair or subtotal meniscectomy, depending on the type of DLM tear. Postoperative OCD lesions were identified radiographically. Age, sex, weight, Lysholm score, Tegner activity scale, exercise frequency, and surgical procedure were compared between the postoperative OCD diagnosis group and non-OCD control group. RESULTS: Postoperative OCD was diagnosed in 8/103 (7.8%) knees following DLM surgery. The incidence of postoperative OCD was significantly greater for patients age less than 10 years old, and male sex, low weight, Lysholm score, Tegner activity scale preinjury and after returning to sports, and exercise frequency per week on univariate analyses. On multivariate analyses, postoperative OCD occurred more commonly with subtotal meniscectomy than with saucerization or saucerization with repair, and in patients less than 11 years of age. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed a cutoff value of age at surgery of 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Subtotal meniscectomy and patients younger than 10 years at the time of surgery are at greater risk for postoperative OCD. To decrease this risk, if possible, we recommend performing saucerization or saucerization with repair in patients undergoing surgery for DLM. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-retrospective comparative study.

Abnormal displacement of discoid lateral meniscus with snapping knee detected by full extension and deep flexion MRI: Report of two cases.

We evaluated the abnormal displacement of a complete discoid lateral meniscus in two patients with symptoms of a large popping sound during knee flexion and extension, so-called "snapping", and no displacement of the discoid meniscus on routine Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) analysis. MRI images indicated an anterocentral shift of the lateral discoid meniscus on knee deep flexion in one case and a posterocentral shift of the meniscus on knee full extension in the other case. Abnormal meniscal instability was confirmed under arthroscopy in both knees. After arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, one case of posterior horn instability was treated with an inside-out arthroscopic technique, whereas the other case of anterior horn instability was treated with an all-inside repair technique. We conclude that the symptom of a large popping sound during knee motion may indicate abnormal displacement of a complete discoid lateral meniscus and that further MRI analyses on knee full extension and deep flexion may reveal discernible meniscal displacement.

Donor Site Evaluation After Osteochondral Autograft Transplantation for Capitellar Osteochondritis Dissecans.

BACKGROUND: Osteochondral autograft transplantation (OAT) for capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) requires harvesting of tissue from the asymptomatic knee joint. However, donor site morbidity (DSM) in such cases remains unclear. PURPOSE: To evaluate DSM and postoperative radiographic findings in patients undergoing OAT for advanced capitellar OCD. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: Eighty-six juvenile athletes underwent OAT for advanced capitellar OCD. The 2000 International Knee Documentation Committee subjective score, rate of return to sports, and symptoms in the donor knee were assessed at a mean follow-up of 86 months (range, 28-185 months). Additionally, 49 of the 86 patients were assessed by radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the knee donor site. DSM was defined according to the usual criterion (persistent symptoms for >1 year or the need for subsequent intervention) and a stricter criterion (the presence of any symptoms, such as effusion, patellofemoral complaints, crepitation, unspecified disturbance, stiffness, pain/instability during activities, and osteoarthritic change). The stricter criterion was also used to allocate patients into a DSM group and a no-DSM group. RESULTS: Two and 11 patients were determined to have DSM according to the usual and stricter criteria, respectively. All patients returned to the competitive level of their sports. The mean International Knee Documentation Committee score was 99.0. MRI findings showed abnormal signal intensity in 17 patients (35%) and hypertrophic changes in 11 patients (22%) at the donor harvest sites. The MOCART (magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue) score was higher in the no-DSM group (mean, 68.2) than in the DSM group (mean, 52.9) (P = .027). CONCLUSION: OAT for juvenile athletes with advanced capitellar OCD provided good clinical outcomes. The DSM rate was relatively low (2.3%) with the usual criterion but high (12.8%) with the stricter criterion. MRI showed an abnormal signal intensity and hypertrophy in some cases.

Prevalence, development, and factors associated with cyst formation after meniscal repair with the all-inside suture device.

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence of cyst formation after using all-inside meniscal repair device and analysed the risk factors associated with it. METHODS: Between August 2008 and September 2013, 51 menisci of 46 patients were included in the study, 46 menisci of which had concomitant anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures and had an ACL reconstruction. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee was performed at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after meniscal surgery. The MRIs were assessed to detect the development of cysts encasing the suture anchors and to evaluate meniscal healing. Statistical analysis was performed using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Out of the 51 menisci examined, MRI revealed cysts in 15 menisci. Cysts were detected in 3 menisci at 6 months, in 9 menisci at 12 months, and in 3 menisci at 24 months after surgery. Only 3 patients (6.5%) were symptomatic, and cystectomy was performed in 2 of these patients and arthroscopic debridement in the other. Compared with using both the suture device and an inside-out suture repair, using the suture device alone was more likely to be associated with cyst development [odds ratio (OR), 12.04]. The medial meniscus was also significantly more likely to develop a cyst compared with the lateral meniscus (OR, 12.48). There was an increased outcome for the number of device use (P = 0.033). Though it was not statistically significant, the patients with anterior knee laxity (side-to-side difference > 3 mm using a knee arthrometer) were more likely to develop cysts than those without anterior knee laxity (P = 0.06). There were no significant differences between the remaining variables. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of cyst formation around the suture implant was 29%, but most cases were not symptomatic. Significant risk factors for cyst formation included the use of a suture device alone, and a location in the medial meniscus. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Shallow knee flexion angle during femoral tunnel creation using modified transtibial technique can reduce femoral graft bending angle in ACL reconstruction.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare femoral graft bending angle between patients with femoral tunnel reamed at less than 80° of knee flexion and those with 80° and above in anatomical anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using modified transtibial technique. METHODS: Forty-eight patients who underwent ACL reconstruction using bone-patellar-tendon-bone autograft in modified transtibial technique and CT scan at 1 week postoperatively were included in this study. A femoral guidewire insertion into aimed femoral position at the medial wall of the femoral lateral condyle was started at about 75° of knee flexion. When the tip of the guidewire was blown out into femoral posterior wall, the guidewire was inserted again after increasing knee flexion angle. Distance from femoral tunnel exit on the femoral lateral cortex-femoral posterior cortex (Distance-E) was measured on postoperative lateral radiograph. Femoral and tibial tunnel position was measured on 3-D CT images. In addition, femoral graft bending angle was measured on reconstructed 2-D CT images. Patients were divided into two groups depending on whether femoral tunnel was created at less than 80° of knee flexion (group A) or 80° or more (group B). RESULTS: There were 32 patients in group A and 16 patients in group B, respectively. Average knee flexion angle was 77.2° [standard deviation (SD) 1.6] in group A and 83.6° (SD 2.4) in group B, respectively (p < 0.05). Average Distance-E was 5.1 mm (SD 2.6) in group A and 6.6 mm (SD 3.8) in group B, respectively. There was no significant difference in the femoral and tibial tunnel position between group A and B. Femoral graft bending angle was significantly smaller in group A [average angle: 50.9° (SD 6.6)] than in group B [average angle: 55.0° (SD 6.6)] (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical femoral tunnel was able to be created at less than 80° of knee flexion in two-thirds of patients. Shallower flexion angle (less than 80°) provided gentler femoral graft bending angle compared to 80° or more of knee flexion. Therefore, femoral tunnel creation in modified transtibial technique should be started at between 75° and 80° of knee flexion to reduce femoral graft bending angle. Shallow knee flexion angle during femoral tunnel creation using modified transtibial technique can reduce femoral graft bending angle and may lead to better clinical outcomes in ACL reconstruction. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective comparative study, Level III.

Comparison of Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes Between Central and Lateral Lesions After Osteochondral Autograft Transplantation for Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Humeral Capitellum.

BACKGROUND: Clinical studies have reported satisfactory results after osteochondral autograft transplantation (OAT) for central lesions of unstable osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the elbow. However, the outcomes after OAT for lateral lesions remain unclear. HYPOTHESIS: The clinical outcomes of OAT would be better for central lesions than for lateral lesions. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: The authors retrospectively evaluated 103 juvenile athletes (mean age, 13.2 years; range, 11-16 years) who underwent OAT for symptomatic OCD of the humeral capitellum from 2003 to 2014. Sixteen patients were excluded because they did not fit the inclusion criteria. The final cohort of 87 patients was divided by lesion type into central lesion (n = 43) and lateral lesion (n = 44) groups. When possible, a single large plug was created for grafting and trimmed to reconstruct the rounded joint surface. The clinical, radiographic, and magnetic resonance imaging outcomes were evaluated for each group at a mean follow-up of 43 months (range, 24-100 months). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the age, sex, height, weight, duration of symptoms, follow-up time, preoperative range of motion, or Timmerman and Andrews score between the 2 groups. The preoperative osteoarthritic changes (0 of 43 for central vs 5 of 44 cases for lateral; P = .023), mean lesion size (12.2 ± 2.9 vs 18.2 ± 7.0 mm; P < .001), and graft number (1.6 vs 2.8; P < .001) were significantly greater in the lateral group versus the central group. The mean range of extension (2.3° ± 5.4° vs -3.2° ± 8.7°; P < .001) and Timmerman and Andrews score (194 vs 185; P = .006) at the final follow-up were significantly better for patients in the central group. More patients in the lateral group had postoperative radial head subluxation (0 of 43 vs 6 of 44; P = .012) and osteoarthritic changes (1 of 43 vs 9 of 44; P = .008). The mean MOCART score showed no significant differences between the groups (78.0 ± 15.7 vs 72.6 ± 20.9; P = .181). The rate of return to sports at the previous level was 100% in the central group and 86% in the lateral group ( P = .012). CONCLUSION: The clinical and radiographic outcomes after OAT associated with unstable OCD of the humeral capitellum were better for central lesions than for lateral lesions. However, satisfactory outcomes and a high rate of return to sports were obtained for unstable lateral lesions after OAT.

One-stage revision ACL reconstruction after primary ACL double bundle reconstruction: is bone-patella tendon-bone autograft reliable?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the results of revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction after the failure of primary ACL double bundle reconstruction (ACL-DBR). METHODS: Twenty-two knees in 22 patients (group R) that underwent ACL revision surgery using bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) autograft after the failure of primary ACL-DBR were included in this study. Intraoperative findings and postoperative knee laxity and clinical outcomes in group R were assessed. Forty-four knees in 44 patients that were age- and gender- matched with group R and underwent primary ACL reconstruction using BTB autograft were used as a control group (group P). RESULTS: The incidence of medial meniscus and cartilage injury in group R was significantly higher than those in group P (p < 0.05). At final follow-up, median Lysholm score was 90.5 (64-100) in group R and 94 (59-100) in group P, respectively. Fourteen patients (63.6%) in group R and 31 patients (70.5%) in group P were able to return to previously-played sports, respectively. There were no significant differences in KT-1000 outcomes (2.0 mm in group R and 1.4 mm in group P) or pivot shift test between the two groups. The rate of subsequent ACL injury was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Revision ACL reconstruction using BTB autograft after failed primary ACL-DBR provided almost compatible postoperative clinical outcomes and knee stability with primary ACL reconstruction using BTB autograft, while the incidence of medial meniscus and cartilage injury at revision surgery was higher. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective comparative study, Level III.

Relationship between femoral tunnel location and graft bending angle in outside-in and transportal technique for ACL double bundle reconstruction in 3D-CT study.

INTRODUCTION: In anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, sharp angulation of the graft at tunnel aperture increases local strain to the graft. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between femoral tunnel location and femoral graft bending angle after ACL double bundle reconstruction (ACL-DBR) with two different drilling techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In ACL-DBR, femoral tunnel was created by two techniques; outside-in technique (26 patients, group A) and transportal technique (25 patients, group B). CT scan was taken at 1 week postoperatively. The position of femoral tunnel exit on the lateral femoral cortex, and intra-articular femoral and tibial tunnel aperture of the anteromedial bundle (AMB) and postero-lateral bundle (PLB) was measured using a rectangular frame on three-dimensional CT images. Femoral graft bending angle was measured using two-dimensional CT images. RESULTS: Femoral tunnel exits of AMB and PLB in group A were significantly anterior and proximal than those in group B (p < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in intra-articular femoral and tibial tunnel apertures between group A and B. A mean femoral graft bending angle of AMB was 80.3° in group A and 69.2 degrees in group B, respectively (p < 0.05). A mean femoral graft bending angle of PLB was 66.3° in group A and 64.6° in group B, respectively. In both groups, a significant (p < 0.05) correlation (r < -0.4) was observed between the position of the femoral tunnel exit (anterior-posterior ratio from femoral anterior border line) and the femoral graft bending angle in AMB. CONCLUSIONS: Since the femoral tunnel exit in outside-in technique was located more anterior and proximal, femoral graft bending angle of AMB in outside-in technique was greater than that in transportal technique. Anterior position of the femoral tunnel exit in AMB increased femoral graft bending angle in outside-in and transportal techniques.