Anterior Proximal Tibial Screw Hemiepiphysiodesis Decreases Posterior Tibial Slope in Knee Flexion Contracture: A Case Report.

CASE: A 13-year-old adolescent boy with hemiplegic cerebral palsy suffering from fixed knee flexion deformity of 10° despite extensive conservative treatment. Owing to a posterior tibial slope (PTS) of 16°, anterior hemiepiphysiodesis was applied to the proximal tibia. The 2 screws were removed after 9 months. Final follow-up at 16 months showed complete knee extension and a PTS of 4°. CONCLUSION: The presented technique is a good alternative in knee flexion deformity with an increased PTS and has surprisingly not been described in the literature. This might be worth considering for other pathologies such as pediatric anterior cruciate ligament injury with an increased PTS.

Lateral Femoral Condyle Allograft in the Treatment of Elbow Capitellar Avascular Necrosis: A Case Report.

CASE: A 27-year-old woman developed capitellar osteonecrosis after long-term corticosteroid use to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma. She underwent an osteochondral reconstruction using a lateral femoral condyle (LFC) allograft. This graft was selected because it has a similar radius of curvature to the capitellum. The patient had osseous integration, painless, near full range of motion of her elbow 6 months postoperatively and good shoulder function 1.0 year postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The LFC allograft should be considered a viable option in treating capitellar osteonecrosis.

Correcting for asymmetry of the proximal tibial epiphysis is warranted to determine postoperative alignment deviations in kinematic alignment from planned alignment of the tibial component on the native tibia.

BACKGROUND: In total knee arthroplasty, unrestricted kinematic alignment aims to restore pre-arthritic lower limb alignment and joint lines. Joint line orientations of the contralateral healthy proximal tibia might be used to evaluate accuracy of tibial component alignment post-operatively if asymmetry is minimal. Our objective was to evaluate left-to-right asymmetry of the proximal tibial epiphysis in posterior tibial slope and varus-valgus orientation as related to unrestricted kinematic alignment principles. METHODS: High resolution CT images (0.5 mm slice thickness) were acquired from bilateral lower limbs of 11 skeletally mature subjects with no skeletal abnormalities. Images were segmented to generate 3D tibia models. Asymmetry was quantified by differences in orientations required to shape-match the proximal epiphysis of the mirror 3D tibia model to the proximal epiphysis of the contralateral 3D tibia model. FINDINGS: Systematic and random differences (i.e. mean ± standard deviation) in tibial slope and varus-valgus orientation were - 0.8° ± 1.2° and - 0.2° ± 0.8°, respectively. Ninety five percent confidence intervals on the means included 0° indicating that systematic differences were minimal. INTERPRETATION: Since random differences due to asymmetry are substantial in relation to random surgical deviations from pre-arthritic joint lines previously reported, post-operative computer tomograms of the contralateral healthy tibia should not be used to directly assess accuracy of tibial component alignment on a group level without correcting for differences in tibial slope and varus-valgus orientation due to asymmetry.

Does the intercondylar approach provide a better outcome for chondroblastoma of the distal femur in skeletally immature patients?

Aims: The epiphyseal approach to a chondroblastoma of the intercondylar notch of a child's distal femur does not provide adequate exposure, thereby necessitating the removal of a substantial amount of unaffected bone to expose the lesion. In this study, we compared the functional outcomes, local recurrence, and surgical complications of treating a chondroblastoma of the distal femoral epiphysis by either an intercondylar or an epiphyseal approach. Methods: A total of 30 children with a chondroblastoma of the distal femur who had been treated by intraregional curettage and bone grafting were retrospectively reviewed. An intercondylar approach was used in 16 patients (group A) and an epiphyseal approach in 14 (group B). Limb function was assessed using the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scoring system and Sailhan's functional criteria. Results: At final follow-up, the mean MSTS score was 29.1 (SD 0.9) in group A and 26.7 (SD 1.5) in group B (p = 0.006). According to Sailhan's criteria, the knee function was good and fair in 14 (87.5%) and two (12.5%) patients of group A, and eight (57.1%) and six (42.9%) patients of group B, respectively (p = 0.062). The lesion had recurred in one patient (6.2%) in group A and four patients (28.6%) in group B. Limb shortening > 1 cm was recorded in one patient (6.2%) from group A and six patients (42.8%) from group B. Joint degeneration was noted in one patient from group A and three patients from group B. Conclusion: An intercondylar approach to a chondroblastoma of the middle two-quarters of the distal femoral epiphysis results in better outcomes than a medial or lateral epiphyseal approach: specifically, better limb function, a lower rate of recurrence, and a lower rate of physeal damage and joint degeneration.

Factors influencing correction rate following hemiepiphysiodesis using tension band plates for deformities around the knee: a multivariate analysis study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to appraise various factors influencing the correction rate in temporary hemiepiphysiodesis (THE) around the knee joint. Specifically, the study analysed the relationship of correction rate with age, gender, aetiology, type and location of deformity. METHODS: The retrospective study included children who underwent THE for a coronal plane deformity (genu valgus or varum) around the knee joint (distal femur or proximal tibia) over a ten year period (2010-2020). The primary outcome of interest was the correction rate of the deformity. RESULTS: Thirty-three children (27 females and 6 males) with a mean age of 8.1 years involving 86 plates were included in the study. The mean correction achieved was 12.2° over a treatment period of 13.3 months. Subgroup analysis showed significant differences between the type (varus (0.8° per month), valgus (1.1° per month)) and the location of deformity femur (1.2° per month) and tibia (0.7° per month)]. On multivariate analysis, the location and the duration of treatment showed significant associations with the correction rate. CONCLUSION: The correction of coronal deformities following temporary hemiepiphysiodesis is influenced by several factors. Valgus, femoral and deformities in younger children correct at a faster rate. Location of deformity and duration of treatment emerged as potential factors affecting the correction rate.

The transphyseal osteotomy for the slipped proximal tibial epiphysis in tibia vara.

This study aimed to describe a novel transphyseal osteotomy (TPO) for acute deformity correction in children with bilateral tibia vara and the atraumatic 'slipped proximal tibial epiphysis' (SPTE) entity. We described the clinical and radiological findings in five children (10 limbs) with tibia vara that were treated with the TPO. The criteria for the SPTE were met in nine (9/10) cases. The surgical technique and short-term results of the TPO are reported. The median age was 9 years (range, 6-9), with obesity (BMI > 95th centile) present in all children. The medial tibial plateau was not significantly depressed (the median angle of depression of the medial plateau measured 30° (range, 20°-32°). The mean medial proximal tibial angle of 33° (range, 8°-71°) was corrected to 82° (range, 77°-86°), the mean anatomic posterior proximal tibial angle of 48° (range, 32°-70°) was corrected to 72° (range, 61°-86°), and the median internal tibial rotation of 45° (range, 20°-50° internal rotation) was corrected to neutral rotation (range, 10° internal-10° external rotation). There were two complications: one case of recurrent deformity and one case of intra-articular extension of the osteotomy. We describe a novel TPO that aims to simultaneously correct all aspects of the deformity, stabilise the physis, and prevent recurrence through epiphysiodesis. Further research is required to determine its efficacy and safety. The atraumatic SPTE appears to represent a specific morphological presentation in tibia vara. Level of evidence: 4.

Epiphyseal-entry cannulated screws for temporary guided growth of the knees: a retrospective review of 89 cases.

Guided growth affects the physis in children to produce a desired effect. Several devices achieve alteration of growth, including staples, plates, and screws. Complications can include device failures, failure to modulate growth as expected, and unintended physeal arrest. We present the results of a unique technique designed to minimize these complications. This was a retrospective review of guided growth at the knee at a single institution utilizing cannulated screws with epiphyseal-entry points. Each case was reviewed to determine the presence of complications related to guided growth, including implant breakage, implant pull-out or pull-through, iatrogenic physeal arrest, failure to modulate growth, and the incidence of revision surgeries. There were 89 patients who had 146 epiphyseal-entry guided growth procedures with a total of 221 4.5 mm cannulated screws. There were no iatrogenic physeal arrests. Five (2.26%) screws in 4 (4.49%) patients had either a broken screw or screw pull-out/pull-through requiring revision procedures. Three patients had osteotomies after skeletal maturity. Four had revision-guided growth for other reasons: 2 due to a lack of timely follow-up, 1 for iatrogenic genu varum without implant failure, and 1 due to recurrent deformity after implant removal. Revision procedures were unanticipated in 6 (6.74%) patients. This study describes a technique for placing cannulated screws at the knee with epiphyseal starting points. Our rate of complications and number of revision surgeries compare favorably with those noted for other techniques. Guided growth using epiphyseal-entry cannulated screws is a safe, effective option for most patients.

Physeal Migration During Knee-guided Growth With Tension Band Plates: Influence of Implant Position.

OBJECTIVE: Physeal migration during guided growth with tension band plates (TBPs) has been poorly described. The positioning factors associated with this phenomenon and its clinical implications are unknown. Our aim is to determine the influence of implant position on the risk of physeal migration during knee-guided growth with TBP. METHODS: Retrospective study of 491 patients who underwent temporary hemi or epiphysiodesis with TBP around the knee between 2007 and 2019. We identified 29 patients who presented physeal migration during follow-up. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and the following measures were obtained from the immediate postoperative radiographs: epiphyseal screw base-physis distance/epiphyseal screw tip-physis distance, interscrew angle, epiphyseal screw-physis angle(ES-PHa)/metaphyseal screw-physis angle, plate-physis angle, epiphyseal screw-plate angle/metaphyseal screw-plate angle, and epiphyseal screw-physis length ratio. Using follow-up radiographs, the type of physeal migration of the epiphyseal screw (touch, occupy, or traverse) and the status of the physis after implant removal (unaltered, physeal bar, and skeletal maturity) were also recorded. A descriptive analysis of the cases and a case-control comparison of imaging studies were performed. RESULTS: The median patient age at intervention was 12.2 years (interquartile range: 11.3 to 14.1), and 76% were males. A statistically significant difference between cases and controls was obtained for epiphyseal screw base-physis distance (3.7 vs 6.3; P = 0.029), epiphyseal screw tip-physis distance (3.6 vs 7.85; P = 0.002), ES-PHa (-0.1 vs 7.45; P = 0.007), and plate-physis angle (85.45 vs 88.60; P = 0.012). In a categorical analysis, a significant difference was found for the ES-PHa categories ( P = 0.002) and for the ES-PHa/metaphyseal screw-physis angle categorical pair ( P = 0.018). In 16, 17, and 12 cases the physis was touched, occupied, or traversed, respectively, although we found no physeal alterations after plate removal. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, physeal migration of TBP is not an uncommon phenomenon, although no physeal abnormalities were detected. Convergent placement of the epiphyseal screw with the base or tip close to the physis should be avoided as this position is associated with a higher risk of physeal migration. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-case-control study.

Anterior Distal Femoral Hemiepiphysiodesis in Children With Fixed Knee Flexion Deformities: Does Screw Position Matter?

BACKGROUND: Anterior distal femoral hemiepiphysiodesis (ADFH) using 2 percutaneous screws is an effective technique for the treatment of fixed knee flexion deformities in children with neuromuscular disorders. The role of sagittal screw position on the outcome of the procedure is unknown. METHODS: This is a retrospective case series of patients who underwent ADFH at a single pediatric hospital from 2013 to 2020. Radiographs were evaluated for sagittal screw position and the associated change in lateral distal femoral physeal angle over time. The position of the 2 screws was classified as either being both in the anterior third of the physis (AA), one screw in the anterior third and the other screw in the middle third (AM), or both screws in the middle third of the physis (MM). RESULTS: The study population included 68 knees in 36 patients. The mean physeal angle at the time of surgery was 93 degrees (SD 4.0 degrees), which increased to 102.4 degrees (SD 5.7 degrees) at 12 months, for a change of 9.4 degrees ( P <0.001). At 24 months, the mean physeal angle was 104.6 degrees (SD 6.3 degrees) for a further change of 2.9 degrees ( P <0.001). When stratified by screw position all screw configurations resulted in an increase in the physeal angle at 12 months. At the 24-month follow-up, the physeal angle in knees with AA screws continued to increase another 3.5 degrees ( P <0.05), there was a minimal change in knees with AM screws (1.47°, P >0.05) and knees with MM screws saw a reversal of physeal angle change (-7.1 degrees, P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ADFH using percutaneous screws results in an increase in the lateral distal femoral physeal angle. The rate of correction is largest in the first 12 months after the procedure. As such, this procedure should be considered in patients with less than 2 years of growth remaining. However, initial screw positioning influences the amount of change over time, and close postoperative surveillance until physeal closure is essential for all patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV-retrospective case series.

99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy-based growth evaluation and prediction of epiphysis around the knee: a study of paediatric limb salvage for malignant bone tumours.

AIM: To investigate the feasibility of bone scintigraphy in the assessment and prediction of bone growth potential after limb-salvage surgery in children with bone tumours. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five skeletally immature patients with primary bone malignancies in distal femur was enrolled. Thirty-two patients received epiphysis minimally invasive endoprosthesis (EMIE) reconstruction, seven received hemiarthroplasty, and 16 received adult-type rotation-hinged endoprosthesis (ATRHE) reconstruction. All enrolled patients underwent radiographic examination at regular intervals and followed-up for >12 months. The actual limb length discrepancy (LLDa) of the tibia was measured on the radiography image. The expected LLD of tibia (LLDp) was calculated according to multiplier method. The uptake ratio of the ipsilateral epiphysis to the contralateral epiphysis (Ri/c) was calculated at bone scintigraphy. The Ri/c value was accommodated in the formula of multiplier method for a modification. The difference and correlation between the modified expected LLD (LLDm), LLDp and LLDa were analysed. RESULTS: The growth potential of ipsilateral epiphysis was reserved in all patients who underwent hemiarthroplasty and one fourth of EMIE reconstruction. The Ri/c values in the hemiarthroplasty endoprosthesis group were significantly higher than the EMIE and ATRHE groups. There was no significant difference in Ri/c values between the EMIE and ATRHE group. Data from the 26 patients who reached bone maturation showed that there was a significant difference between LLDp and LLDa. LLDm showed a higher correlation with LLDa than LLDp. CONCLUSION: Bone scintigraphy is helpful to evaluate the growth potential of epiphysis after surgery. The multiplier method modified by Ri/c value improves prediction accuracy of bone growth.

Clinical significance of distal femur morphology in a healthy Mongolian youth population.

Morphological parameters of knee joint are related to race and nationality. At present, knee prosthesis come from white male population. Due to the mismatch between the prosthesis and other ethnic groups, the prosthesis life span is reduced, revision surgery and the patients' economic burden are increased. There is no data of the Mongolian ethnic group. In order to treat patients more accurately, we measured the Mongolian data of the femoral condyle. A total of 122 knee joints were scanned in 61 volunteers (21 males and 40 females) with an average age of 23.259 ± 1.395 years. The Mimics software was used to reconstruct the 3D image and measure the data of each line. The data were analyzed by statistical methods such as t test, and P < 0.05 was taken as the significant. 122 normal femoral condyle data were obtained. The mean transverse diameter of femoral condyle is 76.472 ± 5.952 mm, medial condyle is 29.259 ± 11.461 mm, and the sagittal diameter of the medial condyle was 56.758 ± 4.163 mm. The transverse diameter of the lateral femoral condyle is 29.388 ± 3.157 mm, the sagittal diameter of the lateral condyle is 58.937 ± 3.527 mm and the femoral plane rate is 1.264 ± 0.072. (1) There was no statistical significance in the left and right knee joint data (P > 0.05). (2) The different genders data of femoral condyle were statistically significant (P < 0.05). (3) Compared with other nationalities and races, the data of femoral condyle are different. (4) There are differences between femoral surface ratio and mainstream prosthesis data.

Follow-up of biological reconstruction of epiphysis preserving osteosarcoma around the knee in children: A retrospective cohort study.

Limb salvage treatment for malignant bone tumors in children includes prosthetic and biological reconstruction. Early function following prosthesis reconstruction is satisfactory; however, there are several complications. Biological reconstruction is another way to treat bone defects. We evaluated the effectiveness of reconstruction of bone defects by liquid nitrogen inactivation of autologous bone with preserving epiphysis in 5 cases of periarticular osteosarcoma of the knee. We retrospectively selected 5 patients with articular osteosarcoma of the knee who underwent epiphyseal-preserving biological reconstruction in our department between January 2019 and January 2020. Femur involvement occurred in 2 cases and tibia involvement occurred in 3 cases, with an average defect of 18 cm (12-30 cm). The 2 patients with femur involvement were treated with inactivated autologous bone by liquid nitrogen with vascularized fibula transplantation. Among the patients with tibia involvement, 2 were treated with inactivated autologous bone with ipsilateral vascularized fibula transplantation and 1 was treated with autologous inactivated bone with contralateral vascularized fibula transplantation. Bone healing was evaluated by regular X-ray examination. At the end of the follow-up, lower limb length, knee flexion, and extension function were evaluated. Patients were followed up for 24 to 36 months. Average bone-healing time was 5.2 months (3-8 months). All patients achieved bone healing with no tumor recurrence and no distant metastasis and all patients survived. The lengths of both lower limbs were equal in 2 cases, with shortening by ≤1 cm in 1 case and shortening by 2 cm in 1 case. Knee flexion was >90° in 4 cases and between 50 and 60° in 1 case. The Muscle and Skeletal Tumor Society score was 24.2 (range 20-26). Inactivation of autogenous bone with the epiphysis preserved by liquid nitrogen combined with vascularized fibula reconstruction for periarticular osteosarcoma of the knee in children is safe and effective. This technique supports bone healing. Postoperative limb length and function, and short-term effects were satisfactory.

Reconstruction of a Pediatric Lateral Femoral Condyle After Septic Necrosis with a Free Vascularized Fibular Epiphysis: A Case Report.

CASE: A 5-year-old girl presented with severe valgus deformity of the right knee after septic necrosis of the lateral femoral condyle. Reconstruction was performed using the contralateral proximal fibular epiphysis on the anterior tibial vessels. Union was evident after 6 weeks, and full weight bearing was permitted after 12 weeks. Two years of follow-up showed no deformity or length discrepancy and 90° range of motion. CONCLUSION: The pattern of 1 femoral condyle resorption due to osteomyelitis is a rare presentation. The presented method of reconstruction could be implemented as a novel technique to reconstruct the growing knee joint in such a condition.

Outcomes following Free Fibula Physeal Transfer for Pediatric Proximal Humerus Reconstruction: An International Multi-Institutional Study.

BACKGROUND: Vascularized fibula epiphyseal flap was first described in 1998 for proximal humeral reconstruction in children/infants. The authors aim to review their international, multi-institutional, long-term outcomes. METHODS: An international, multi-institutional review (2004 to 2020) was conducted of patients younger than 18 years undergoing free vascularized fibula epiphyseal transfer for proximal humeral reconstruction. Donor- and recipient-site complications, pain, and final ambulatory status were reviewed. Growth of the transferred bone was assessed under the guidance of a pediatric musculoskeletal radiologist. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were included with a median age of 7 years (range, 2 to 13 years). Average follow-up was 120 ± 87.4 months. There were two flap failures (7.4%). Recipient-site complications included fracture [ n = 11 (40.7%)], avascular necrosis of the fibula head [ n = 1 (3.7%)], fibular head avulsion [ n = 1 (3.7%)], infection [ n = 1 (3.7%)], and hardware failure [ n = 1 (3.7%)]. Operative fixation was necessary in one patient with a fracture. The case of infection necessitated fibula explantation 2 years postoperatively, and ultimately, prosthetic reconstruction. Sixteen patients developed peroneal nerve palsy (59.3%): 13 of these cases resolved within 1 year (81% recovery), and three were permanent (11.1%). One patient (3.7%) complained of upper extremity pain. Longitudinal growth was confirmed in all but three cases [ n = 24 (88.9%)] at an average rate of 0.83 ± 0.25 cm/year. CONCLUSIONS: The vascularized fibula epiphysis for proximal humerus reconstruction in children preserves the potential for future growth and an articular surface for motion. Peroneal nerve palsy is common following harvest, although this is often transient. Future efforts should be geared toward reducing postoperative morbidity. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Predisposing factors for migration of epiphyseal screws into physis in tension band plating.

The migration of epiphyseal screws into growing physis in tension band plating is a known complication. We investigated the screw migration into physis in 10 patients (18 plates) to study the various technical details, which may have contributed to this complication. The methodology involved retrospective review of radiological records. Among these 10 affected patients, in four patients, there were eight additional tension band plates, which had remained uncomplicated ('controls') at the time when implant failure was detected. We statistically compared the length of epiphyseal screw, proximity of screw start point to the physis, screw trajectory angle, interscrew angle and correction rate between the migrated and other uncomplicated plates. Majority patients were postrachitic ( n = 7). The mean time from primary procedure to detection of radiological complication was 15.1 months. The mean epiphyseal screw length proportion in migrated and uncomplicated plates matched. The starting point of epiphyseal screw was relatively closer to physis in migrated plates. The trajectory of epiphyseal screw with respect to physis was more divergent in the migrated plates ( P = 0.02). All implants were inserted in a divergent manner with mean interscrew angle being 22.3° for migrated and 13.8° for the uncomplicated plates ( P = 0.02). The correction rate of the implant reduced as it failed. Osteopenic bone and pathological physis predispose to migrated plates. Technically, a wider trajectory of epiphyseal screw and too divergent screws should be avoided. A migrated implant becomes less effective in its function.

Sagittal femoral condylar shape varies along a continuum from spherical to ovoid: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Considerable anatomic variations of sagittal femoral condylar shape have been reported, with a continuum between spherical (or single-radius) and ovoid (or multi-radius) condyles. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to critically appraise and synthesise the available literature on the sagittal femoral profile. The hypothesis was that studies would reveal considerable variability among individuals, but also in their methodology to quantify sagittal profiles. METHODS: This systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. On 10 September 2021 two authors searched for Level I to IV studies that reported on the sagittal curvature of the medial and/or lateral femoral condyles using the MEDLINE®, EMBASE® and Cochrane Library. Results were summarised by tabulating means, standard deviations and/or ranges for the reported radii-of-curvature, or ellipsoidal semi-major and semi-minor lengths of the condyles. To quantify sagittal 'ovoidicity' and asymmetry, results were stratified according to coordinate reference frame (posterior condylar axis (PCA), clinical and surgical transepicondylar axis (cTEA and sTEA), unified sagittal plane (USP), or unclear) and summarised in forest plots as standardised mean differences (SMD). RESULTS: Thirty-eight articles were eligible for full text extraction, quantifying sagittal radii-of-curvature by best-fit circles (BFC), ellipsoids, polynomials, spherical or cylindrical fitting. Studies with clear definition of the measurement plane revealed that both condyles were generally ovoid, with considerably greater 'ovoidicity' at the medial condyle (SMD, 4.09) versus the lateral condyle (SMD, 3.33). In addition, distal condylar radii were greater medially when measured normal to the TEA (cTEA: SMD, 0.81; sTEA: SMD, 0.79), but greater laterally when measured in a USP (SMD, - 0.83). Posterior condylar radii were greater laterally when measured in a USP (SMD, - 0.60). CONCLUSION: Studies reported considerable variability of sagittal femoral condylar radii-of-curvature, which are not incremental, but rather a continuum that ranges from spherical to ovoid. Although this variation could be accommodated by single-, dual- and multi-radii femoral components, a surgeon typically uses only one or two TKA designs. Hence, there is a risk of mismatch between the native and prosthetic sagittal profile that could result in mid-flexion ligament imbalance unless other parameters are changed. These findings support the drive towards patient-specific implants to potentially achieve accurate sagittal bone-implant fit through implant customisation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

[Application of three-dimensional printed customized prosthesis with preserved epiphysis and articular surface in the reconstruction of large bone defects in treatment of adolescent femoral malignant tumors].

Objective: To investigate the clinical application and effectiveness of three-dimensional (3D) printed customized prosthesis with preserved epiphysis and articular surface in the reconstruction of large bone defects in treatment of adolescent femoral malignant tumors. Methods: The clinical data of 10 adolescent patients with femoral primary malignant tumor who met the selection criteria and underwent limb salvage surgery with 3D printed customized prosthesis with preserved epiphysis and articular surface between January 2020 and October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 6 males and 4 females with an average age of 12.5 years ranging from 7 to 18 years. There were 8 cases of osteosarcoma and 2 cases of Ewing's sarcoma. Enneking stage was Ⅱb. The length of the lesions ranged from 76 to 240 mm, with an average of 138.0 mm. The length of osteotomy (i. e. length of customized prosthesis) ranged from 130 to 275 mm, with an average of 198.5 mm; the distance between distal osteotomy end and epiphyseal line ranged from 0 to 15 mm, with an average of 8.8 mm; the bone defect after osteotomy accounted for 37.36% to 79.02% of the total length of the lesion bone, with a mean of 49.43%. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, complications, tumor outcome (refered to RESIST1.1 solid tumor efficacy evaluation criteria), and limb length discrepancy were recorded. The Musculoskeletal Cancer Society (MSTS) 93 score was used to evaluate the function at 6 months after operation, and visual analogue scale (VAS) score was used to evaluate the pain before and after operation. Results: The operation was successfully performed in all the 10 patients, and the postoperative pathological results were consistent with the preoperative pathological results. The operation time was 165-440 minutes, with an average of 263 minutes; and the intraoperative blood loss was 100-800 mL, with an average of 350 mL. All patients were followed up 7-26 months, with an average of 11.8 months. No tumor was found on the osteotomy surface; the customized prosthesis were firmly installed and closely matched with the retained articular surface. The tumor outcome of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was stable in 4 cases and partial remission in 6 cases. No local recurrence or distant metastasis was found in 9 cases after postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy; pulmonary metastasis was found in 1 case at 12 months after operation. Two patients had local incision fat liquefaction, superficial infection, and delayed healing at 14 days after operation; 1 patient had local bone absorption at the contact surface of the prosthesis, and the screw and prosthesis did not loosen at 7 months after operation; the other patients had good incision healing, with no infection, prosthesis loosening, fracture, or other complications. At 6 months after operation, the MSTS93 score was 19-28, with an average of 24.1; 8 cases were excellent and 2 cases were good. The VAS score was 0.9±1.0, which significantly improved when compared with before operation (5.9±1.0) ( t=23.717, P<0.001). The height of the patients increased by 1-12 cm, with an average of 4.6 cm. At last follow-up, 4 patients had limb length discrepancy, with a length difference of 1 cm in 2 cases and 2 cm in 2 cases. Conclusion: The application of 3D printed customized prosthesis in the resection and reconstruction of adolescents femoral primary malignant tumors can achieve the purpose of preserving epiphysis and articular surface, and obtain good effectiveness.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Skeletally Immature Athletes Using All-Epiphyseal Techniques.

All-epiphyseal anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (AE ACLR) has become an alternative technique for skeletally immature patients with a significant amount of growth remaining. This technique involves graft fixation within the epiphysis without crossing the physis. Either quadriceps tendon or hamstring autograft can be used when performing this procedure. Previous studies have shown that the complication rate is not higher in AE techniques versus previously developed techniques. Additionally, in our hands, the revision rate was found to be significantly lower in an AE ACLR compared with patients who had a transphyseal ACLR.

Techniques in Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

In recent years, the frequency of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and ACL reconstruction (ACLR) in skeletally immature patients has increased. Because distal femoral and proximal tibial physes account for the majority of lower-extremity growth, surgical technique and graft selection are crucial to minimize iatrogenic physeal injury. Combined extra- and intra-articular, all-epiphyseal, and transphyseal with soft-tissue grafts are the most common ACLR techniques used in children. Combined extra- and intra-articular ACLR typically is offered to prepubescent patients with ≥2 years of growth remaining. This technique uses iliotibial band (ITB) autograft passed over the lateral femoral condyle and fixed to the anterior tibial periosteum. All-epiphyseal ACLR is similarly used in patients with ≥2 years of growth remaining, provided sufficient epiphyseal maturity to accommodate an all-epiphyseal socket because both the femoral and tibial tunnels are contained within the epiphyses. In postpubertal patients with <2 years of growth remaining, transphyseal ACLR using a soft-tissue autograft (typically hamstring or quadriceps tendon) and metaphyseal femoral fixation can be performed. This minimizes risk of physeal injury. In borderline patients with approximately 2 years of growth remaining, an additional option includes partial transphyseal ACLR, which uses a soft-tissue graft and a transphyseal tibial tunnel, but an all-epiphyseal or over-the-top femoral graft trajectory. Recently, transphyseal ITB ACLR and hybrid transphyseal hamstring with combined over-the-top ITB ACLR also have been described. Existing clinical studies focused on pediatric and adolescent ACL reconstructions have reported a wide range of graft rupture rates for these techniques (4.3%-25%), with contralateral ACL injury rates of 2.9% to 15.6%. Ongoing multicenter research is underway to directly compare surgical techniques for this demographic and quantify graft rupture rates and other clinical outcomes.

Monitor selection according to the defect location in the medial femoral condyle flap.

BACKGROUND: Medial femoral condyle(MFC) flap is frequently used in hand reconstruction, but like other buried flaps, MFC is not easy to monitor and follow.In this study, we present our adipofascial and periosteal tissue technical modifications and results for MFC free flap monitoring and compare different monitoring methods. METHODS: Twenty one patients with wrist bone or metacarpal defect reconstructed with MFC flap were included in the study. Adipofascial tissue in wrist defect and periosteal tissue in metacarpal defect were selected as MFC flap's monitor. Patient characteristics, type of injury, flap size, early or late-period complications, flap elevation time,satisfaction scale, visual analogue scale (VAS) and postoperative X-ray view were noted. RESULTS: There were 3 female and 18 male patients in the study. The mean age of the patients was 50.8 (38-68). The elevation times of flaps with adipofascial and periosteal monitors were 48 and 53.3 min, respectively. The satisfaction scale averages for the adipofascial and periosteal monitor groups were 3.5 and 3.54, respectively. The VAS scores of the adipofascial and periosteal monitor groups were 2.9 and 3.9, respectively. The flap sizes with periosteal and adipofascial monitors were 10.48 cm3 and 1.36 cm3, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between flap elevation, VAS, and satisfaction scale (>0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in flap sizes. (<0.05) CONCLUSION: MFC free flap is frequently used in wrist and metacarpal reconstruction. Monitor selection according to the defect area positively affects the prognosis of the flap in the postoperative period.