Unique case study: Impact of single-session neuromuscular biofeedback on motor unit properties following 12 days of Achilles tendon surgical repair.

We explored the first evidence of a single-session neuromuscular biofeedback effect on motor unit properties, neuromuscular activation, and the Achilles tendon (AT) length 12 days after undergoing AT surgical repair. We hypothesized that immediate neuromuscular biofeedback enhances motor unit properties and activation without causing AT lengthening. After 12 days AT surgical repair, Medial Gastrocnemius (MG) motor unit decomposition was performed on a 58-year-old male before and after a neuromuscular biofeedback intervention (surface electromyography (sEMG) and ultrasonography), involving unressited plantar flexion. The analysis included motor unit population properties, sEMG amplitude, force paradigm, and AT length. There were increased MG motor unit recruitment, peak and average firing rate, coefficient of variation, and sEMG amplitude, and decreased recruitment and derecruitment threshold in the repaired AT limb. The non-injured limb increased the motor unit recruitment, and decreased the coefficient of variation, peak and average firing rate, inter-pulse interval, derecruitment threshold and sEMG amplitude. The AT length experienced -0.4 and 0.3 cm changes in the repaired AT and non-injured limb, respectively. This single-session neuromuscular biofeedback 12 days after AT surgery shows evidence of enhanced motor unit properties and activation without signs of AT lengthening when unresisted plantar flexion is performed in the repaired AT limb.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Augmentation of Arthroscopic Hip Surgery for Femoroacetabular Impingement: A Prospective Study With 24-Month Follow-up.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical and immunologic effects of intra-articular doses of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in arthroscopic hip surgery for femoroacetabular impingement. METHODS: Preoperatively, patients were randomized either to receive an intra-articular injection of PRP (group I, n = 30) or not to receive PRP (group II, n = 27) at the end of hip arthroscopic surgery. To evaluate the clinical outcome and follow-up, we used the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) 3, 6, and 24 months after surgery. Pain was evaluated using a visual analog scale 24 hours, 48 hours, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. The radiologic outcome was analyzed using radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained before surgery and 6 months after surgery. Labral integration and joint effusion were evaluated with MRI at 6 months. For statistical analysis, an independent t test and the Wilcoxon rank sum test were used (P < .05 was considered statistically significant). RESULTS: The visual analog scale score 48 hours after surgery was 3.04 in group I compared with 5.28 in group II (P < .05). At the 3-month follow-up, the mHHS was 91.79 in group I versus 90.97 in group II (P = .65). At the 24-month follow-up, the mHHS was 93.41 in group I (P = .56) versus 92.32 in group II (P = .52). At the 6-month follow-up, MRI showed no effusion in 36.7% of patients in group I versus 21.1% of patients in group II (P = .013). Regarding labral integration, no statistical differences were observed between the groups (P = .76). CONCLUSIONS: In this randomized study, PRP resulted in lower postoperative pain scores at 48 hours and fewer joint effusions at 6 months. These findings suggest that PRP may have a benefit regarding postoperative inflammation; however, the long-term clinical benefit is unclear. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, lesser-quality randomized controlled trial.

Comparison of postoperative costs of two surgical techniques for hallux valgus (Kramer vs. scarf).

BACKGROUND: Most studies of hallux valgus surgery focus on the radiological findings or on medium-term clinical follow-up. The results obtained using various osteotomy techniques do not differ greatly. However, patient comfort and the need for postoperative care do appear to present differences. In the Kramer technique, the osteotomy is secured with a wire extruding from the skin of the foot. In this situation, patients may well experience problems (or at least discomfort) in the immediate postoperative period. Previous studies of the Kramer technique (also known as SERI, or percutaneous distal metatarsal osteotomy) do not report an increased number of complications. Early complications may not influence the outcome in the medium to long term, and patient discomfort during the postoperative period is rarely reflected in the analysis of one-year results obtained with standard scales such as AOFAS; in our experience, however, patient discomfort, the care burden (i.e., the number of visits and emergency service consultations) and the economic cost of immediate postoperative care are all aspects that should be borne in mind when assessing the merits of different surgical techniques. In this study we compare the care burden and economic cost of two surgical approaches to hallux valgus correction--the Kramer and the scarf techniques--during the first postoperative year. METHODS: Retrospective review of two independent patient cohorts. Sixty-nine feet underwent Kramer osteotomy and 133 the scarf technique. Care burden was assessed by the number of visits each patient required and the complications. The follow-up and costs of each were assessed and compared independently. RESULTS: Both techniques obtain satisfactory clinical results at one year. However, comparison of clinical progression showed AOFAS score increases of 34.7 points for Kramer and 41.1 points for the scarf technique (p-value<0.05). Patients in the Kramer group required a higher number of visits, especially postoperative emergency department visits (p<0.05), and had a significantly higher number of complications (27.5% vs. 6.7%, p<0.05). The mean cost of follow-up was significantly higher in the Kramer group (€ 218.97 vs. € 171.41, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Kramer osteotomy presented significantly higher care burdens, complication rates and associated costs during the first year of follow-up. It is therefore a less cost-effective technique. Thus, even though according to the results of AOFAS we would not have changed our clinical practice, the analysis of these data has made us change our treatment strategy for hallux valgus and practically abandoned the use of the Kramer osteotomies.