Editorial Commentary: As Nature Intended: Will Inclusion of the Medial Patellotibial Ligament Create a Better Medial Patellofemoral Complex Reconstruction?

The medial patellofemoral complex, composed predominantly of the medial patellofemoral ligament, plays an important role in patellar tracking and stability. Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction is accordingly one of the most broadly applied surgical techniques for treating patellar instability. Orthopaedic research has demonstrated that surgeries that restore native anatomy are often more effective. The medial patellotibial ligament clearly serves an important supporting role in patellar tracking and stability, particularly in early flexion, and its inclusion in medial soft-tissue reconstructions more closely restores native patella tracking. Whether reconstructions incorporating the medial patellotibial ligament will translate to improved outcomes remains unclear.

Septic Arthritis After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Clinical and Functional Outcomes Based on Graft Retention or Removal.

BACKGROUND: There remains a debate over whether to retain the index anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft in the setting of septic arthritis. PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare clinical outcomes for the treatment of septic arthritis after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) in those with and without early graft retention. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: The Military Health System was queried for all ACLR procedures performed between 2007 and 2013. Inclusion criteria required active military status, primary ACLR with secondary septic arthritis, and minimum 24-month surveillance. Demographic, clinical, and surgical variables were evaluated using descriptive statistics and regression analysis for factors influencing selected outcomes. RESULTS: Of 9511 ACLR procedures, 31 (0.32%) were identified as having secondary septic arthritis requiring urgent arthroscopic irrigation and debridement and intravenous antibiotics (mean, 6.3 weeks). The majority (62%) were treated in the subacute (2 weeks to 2 months) setting. Index ACLR was performed with a hamstring autograft (n = 17, 55%), soft tissue allograft (n = 11, 35%), and patellar tendon autograft (n = 3, 10%). The graft was retained in 71% (n = 22) of patients, while 29% (n = 9) underwent early graft debridement. At a mean 26.9-month follow-up, 48% of patients (n = 15) had returned to the military. Graft removal was not predictive of return to active duty (P = .29). The presence of postoperative complications, including symptomatic postinfection arthritis (22.6%) and arthrofibrosis (9.7%), was the only variable predictive of inability to return to duty (odds ratio, 27.5 [95% CI, 3.24-233.47]; P = .002). Seven of 9 patients who underwent graft debridement underwent revision ACLR, and all 7 had stable knees at final follow-up compared with 68% (15/22) in the graft retention group. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopic debridement with early graft removal and staged revision ACLR remains a viable option for restoring knee stability (100%), although the rate of return to active duty was low in the graft resection group (33%). The risk of knee laxity did not differ based on early graft retention. Time to presentation with graft retention was not associated with a decreased rate of graft laxity.

Bone Trough Lateral Meniscal Allograft Transplantation: The Tapered Teardrop Technique.

The meniscus plays a vital role in knee biomechanics, and its physical absence or functional incompetence (e.g., irreparable root or radial tear) leads to unacceptably high rates of joint degeneration in affected populations. Meniscal allograft transplantation has been used successfully to treat patients with postmeniscectomy syndrome, and there is early laboratory and radiographic evidence hinting at a potential prophylactic role in preventing joint degeneration. We present a technique for lateral meniscal allograft transplantation using the CONMED Meniscal Allograft Transplantation system.

Pectoralis major injuries: evaluation and treatment.

PM tears most commonly occur in the young athletic male while performing weight-lifting exercises, but can result from any activity whereby the arm is maximally contracted in an extended and externally rotated position. Patients typically present with acute pain, swelling, ecchymosis, deformity, and weakness with adduction and internal rotation. Diagnosis of PM tears can usually be made by history and physical examination, but MRI can be helpful in identifying the extent and location of injury. Most tears occur near the tendon insertion. Nonoperative treatment is generally reserved for proximal tears, low-grade partial tears, and tears in sedentary patients. In most cases these patients will resume full activities of daily living. For all other tears, especially in the young, active athlete, acute (<6 weeks) repair is recommended to return the patient to full strength and function.

Allograft reconstruction of chronic pectoralis major tendon ruptures.

In chronic pectoralis tendon tears, primary repair may not be possible and allograft reconstruction may be required. The goal of this study was to report the authors' experience with chronic pectoralis major tendon reconstructions using an Achilles tendon allograft in three military patients. Three consecutive patients presenting with chronic, complete pectoralis major tendon tears underwent reconstruction by a single surgeon using the same described technique at a mean of 22.2 months after initial injury. Final outcomes were assessed at a mean of 24.5 months postoperatively, yielding one excellent and two good results. All patients were satisfied. All patients returned to full active duty military service and recreational weight lifting by 6 months. Achilles allograft reconstruction of chronic pectoralis major tendon ruptures is a viable treatment option. Good to excellent results can be achieved in active patients, even when reconstruction is performed nearly 2 years from the time of injury.

The epidemiology of ankle sprains in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Ankle sprain has been studied in athletic cohorts, but little is known of its epidemiology in the general population. A longitudinal, prospective epidemiological database was used to determine the incidence and demographic risk factors for ankle sprains presenting to emergency departments in the United States. It was our hypothesis that ankle sprain is influenced by sex, race, age, and involvement in athletics. METHODS: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried for all ankle sprain injuries presenting to emergency departments between 2002 and 2006. Incidence rate ratios were then calculated with respect to age, sex, and race. RESULTS: During the study period, an estimated 3,140,132 ankle sprains occurred among an at-risk population of 1,461,379,599 person-years for an incidence rate of 2.15 per 1000 person-years in the United States. The peak incidence of ankle sprain occurred between fifteen and nineteen years of age (7.2 per 1000 person-years). Males, compared with females, did not demonstrate an overall increased incidence rate ratio for ankle sprain (incidence rate ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.09). However, males between fifteen and twenty-four years old had a substantially higher incidence of ankle sprain than their female counterparts (incidence rate ratio, 1.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.41 to 1.66), whereas females over thirty years old had a higher incidence compared with their male counterparts (incidence rate ratio, 2.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.65 to 2.65). Compared with the Hispanic race, the black and white races were associated with substantially higher rates of ankle sprain (incidence rate ratio, 3.55 [95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 6.09] and 2.49 [95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 3.97], respectively). Nearly half of all ankle sprains (49.3%) occurred during athletic activity, with basketball (41.1%), football (9.3%), and soccer (7.9%) being associated with the highest percentage of ankle sprains during athletics. CONCLUSIONS: An age of ten to nineteen years old is associated with higher rates of ankle sprain. Males between fifteen and twenty-four years old have higher rates of ankle sprain than their female counterparts, whereas females over thirty years old have higher rates than their male counterparts. Half of all ankle sprains occur during athletic activity.

Epidemiology of shoulder dislocations presenting to emergency departments in the United States.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of traumatic shoulder dislocations is poorly understood. The aim of the current study was to determine the incidence of shoulder dislocations presenting to hospital emergency departments in the United States and define demographic risk factors for these injuries. METHODS: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a probability sample of all injuries presenting to emergency departments in the United States, was queried for shoulder dislocations from 2002 through 2006. Patient and injury characteristics were analyzed. United States Census data were utilized to calculate incidence rates for the United States population and subgroups. Incidence rate ratios were then calculated with respect to age, sex, and race. RESULTS: A total of 8940 shoulder dislocations were identified, resulting in an overall incidence rate in the United States of 23.9 (95% confidence interval, 20.8 to 27.0) per 100,000 person-years. The male incidence rate was 34.90 (95% confidence interval, 30.08 to 39.73) per 100,000 person-years, with an incidence rate ratio of 2.64 (95% confidence interval, 2.39 to 2.88) relative to the female incidence rate. It was found that 71.8% of the dislocations were in males. Stratified by decade, the maximum incidence rate (47.8 [95% confidence interval, 41.0 to 54.5]) occurred in those between the ages of twenty and twenty-nine years; 46.8% of all dislocations were in patients between fifteen and twenty-nine years of age. There were no significant differences based on race. Dislocations most frequently resulted from a fall (58.8%) and occurred at home (47.7%) or at sites of sports or recreation (34.5%). Overall, 48.3% of injuries occurred during sports or recreation. CONCLUSIONS: The estimated incidence rate of shoulder dislocations in the United States is 23.9 per 100,000 person-years, which is approximately twice the previously reported value. A young age and male sex are risk factors for shoulder dislocation in the United States population.