Young age, female gender, Caucasian race, and workers' compensation claim are risk factors for reoperation following arthroscopic ACL reconstruction.

PURPOSE: Given the increasing incidence of arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), mid- to long-term rates of reoperations were investigated on the ipsilateral knee following ACLR. METHODS: New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative Systems (SPARCS) database was queried from 2003 to 2012 to identify patients with a primary ICD-9 diagnosis for ACL tear and concomitant CPT code for ACLR. Patients were longitudinally followed for at least 2 years to determine incidence and nature of subsequent ipsilateral knee procedures. RESULTS: The inclusion criteria were met by 45,231 patients who had undergone ACLR between 2003 and 2012. Mean age was found to be 29.7 years (SD 11.6). Subsequent ipsilateral outpatient knee surgery after a mean of 25.7 ± 24.5 months was performed in 10.7% of patients. Revision ACLR was performed for nearly one-third of reoperations. Meniscal pathology was addressed in 58% of subsequent procedures. Age 19 or younger, female gender, worker's compensation (WC) insurance, and Caucasian race were identified as independent risk factors for any ipsilateral reoperation. An initial isolated ACLR and initial ACLR performed by a high-volume surgeon were found to be independently associated with lower reoperation rates. Tobacco use was not significant. Survival rates of 93.4%, 89.8% and 86.7% at 2-, 5- and 10 years, respectively, were found for any ipsilateral reoperation. CONCLUSION: A 10.7% ipsilateral reoperation rate at an average of 25.9 (SD 24.5) months after ACLR and an overall ACLR revision rate of 3.1% were demonstrated by the analysis. Meniscal pathology was addressed in the majority of subsequent interventions. Age 19 or younger, female gender, Caucasian race, and WC claim were associated with reoperation. Initial isolated ACLR and procedure performed by high-volume surgeon were associated with reduced reoperation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

The Anterolateral Ligament (ALL) The New Ligament?

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in technology, graft rupture rates reported in the literature following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery range from 1.8% to 18%. Recent anatomical studies have identified a lateral structure, the anterolateral ligament (ALL), as a potential source of residual pivoting following ACL reconstruction. The purpose of this report is to review the history surrounding the ALL and recent anatomic studies, identify its biomechanical and clinical implications, and develop a practical approach to utilizing it during ACL reconstruction. METHODS: An extensive review of the historical and current literature surrounding the identification of the ALL, its biomechanical function, reconstruction, and outcomes of ALL reconstruction was performed. DISCUSSION: After the storm of media coverage surrounding the "new ligament" known as the ALL, much attention was focused on cadaveric dissection, biomechanical analysis, and reconstruction of this structure. Several techniques have been described, and currently studies are being performed both retrospectively and prospectively to evaluate the added benefit of ALL reconstruction to the rotational stability of the knee and outcomes after ACL reconstruction. CONCLUSION: The ALL is a lateral-based structure that provides rotational stability to the knee in the presence of ACL deficiency. Reconstruction of this ligament may provide added benefit to stability and outcomes following ACL reconstruction in certain patient populations. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to elucidate the true benefit of ALL reconstruction and those patients who should undergo this added procedure.

Tendon Disorders After Total Hip Arthroplasty: Evaluation and Management.

BACKGROUND: Most patients who undergo total hip arthroplasty are very satisfied with their outcomes. However, there is a small subset of patients who have persistent pain after surgery. The etiology of pain after total hip arthroplasty varies widely; however, tendon disorders are a major cause of debilitating pain that often go unrecognized. METHODS: We performed a literature review to identify the most common tendon pathologies after total hip arthroplasty which include iliopsoas tendinitis, greater trochanteric pain syndrome, snapping hip syndrome, and abductor tendinopathy. RESULTS: We present a simplified approach highlighting the presentation and management of patients with suspected tendinopathies after total hip arthroplasty. These tendinopathies are treatable, and management begins with nonoperative modalities; however, in cases not responsive to conservative management, operative intervention may be necessary. CONCLUSION: Tendinopathies after total hip arthroplasty sometimes go unrecognized but when treated can result in higher surgeon and patient satisfaction.

Clinical Outcomes of Hip Arthroscopy in Patients 60 or Older: A Minimum of 2-Year Follow-up.

PURPOSE: To examine clinical outcomes and survivorship in patients aged 60 years or older who underwent hip arthroscopy for management of hip pain. METHODS: Prospectively collected data for patients 60 or older undergoing hip arthroscopy were obtained. All patients were indicated for hip arthroscopy based on standard preoperative examination as well as routine and advanced imaging. Demographic data, diagnosis, and details regarding operative procedures were collected. Baseline preoperative modified Harris Hip Scores (mHHS) and Non-arthritic Hip Scores (NAHS) were compared to mHHS and NAHS at the 2-year follow-up. Survivorship was assessed to determine failure rates, with failure defined as any subsequent ipsilateral revision arthroscopic surgery and/or hip arthroplasty. RESULTS: Forty-two patients met inclusion criteria. Mean age (standard deviation) and body mass index were 65.8 years (4.5 years) and 26.1 (4.7), respectively. Baseline mean mHHS and NAHS for all patients improved from 47.8 (±12.5) and 47.3 (±13.6) to 75.6 (±17.6) and 78.3 (±18.6), respectively (P < .001 for both). Five patients (11.9%) met failure criteria and underwent additional surgery at an average of 14.8 (8-30) months. Three underwent conversion to total hip arthroplasty (7.1%), whereas 2 had revision arthroscopy with cam/pincer resection and labral repair for recurrent symptoms (4.7%). One- and 2-year survival rates were 95.2% and 88.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that in patients 60 or older with Tonnis grade 0 or 1 osteoarthritic changes on initial radiographs-treatment with hip arthroscopy can lead to reliable improvement in early outcomes. As use of hip arthroscopy for treatment of mechanical hip pain increases, additional studies with long-term follow-up are needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic case series.

Postoperative pain control after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) can provide excellent clinical results for patients who fail to respond to conservative management of symptomatic rotator cuff tears. ARCR, however, can be associated with severe postoperative pain and discomfort that requires adequate analgesia. As ARCR continues to shift toward being performed as an outpatient procedure, it is incumbent on physicians and ambulatory surgical centers to provide appropriate pain relief with minimal side effects to ensure rapid recovery and safe discharge. Although intravenous and oral opioids are the cornerstone of pain management after orthopedic procedures, they are associated with drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, and increased length of hospital stay. As health care reimbursements continue to become more intimately focused on quality, patient satisfaction, and minimizing of complications, the need for adequate pain control with minimal complications will continue to be a principal focus for providers and institutions alike. We present a review of alternative modalities for pain relief after ARCR, including cryotherapy, intralesional anesthesia, nerve blockade, indwelling continuous nerve block catheters, and multimodal anesthesia. In choosing among these modalities, physicians should consider patient- and system-based factors to allow the efficient delivery of analgesia that optimizes recovery and improves patient satisfaction.

Treatment of Nonunions After Malleolar Fractures.

Ankle fracture nonunion is a rare occurrence following closed or operative intervention. When it does occur, patients can experience debilitating symptoms that limit daily function. Malleolar nonunion can be caused by patient factors, such as smoking, malnutrition, or vascular insufficiency. Surgeon factors, such as insufficient or inappropriate operative fixation, also play a role. Several adjuncts, such as bone grafting, bone morphogenic protein, and bone stimulation, are useful in treating nonunions. Through a multimodal approach, malleolar nonunions are reliably treated with operative fixation leading to good patient outcomes with minimal complications.

Infection rate following total joint arthroplasty in the HIV population.

The purpose of this study is to review a large series of HIV-infected patients who underwent total joint arthroplasty and identify potential risk-factors for infection. Sixty-nine HIV-infected arthroplasty cases were analyzed with 138 matched controls. Deep infection rate following total hip or knee arthroplasty was 4.4% (3 of 69) among HIV cases compared to 0.72% (1 of 138) among controls, yielding a non-significant 6.22 times increased odds of infection (95% CI 0.64-61.0, P=0.11). Kaplan-Meier survival curves for infection free survival and revision free survival revealed non-significantly decreased survival in HIV cases compared to controls (P=0.06 and P=0.09). Our results suggest that the rate of early joint infection following primary total joint arthroplasty in the HIV-infected population is lower than reported in a number of previously published studies.

Unipolar vs bipolar hemostasis in total knee arthroplasty: a prospective randomized trial.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether unipolar or bipolar hemostasis is more effective in reducing blood loss associated with primary total knee arthroplasty. We randomized 113 consecutive patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty into unipolar and bipolar hemostasis treatment groups. The mean postoperative drain output in the unipolar group was 776.5 mL compared with 778.7 mL and was not statistically significant (P = .97). There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative day 1 through 3 hemoglobin level (P = .2-.6) or hematocrit (P = .17-.46) values. The transfusion requirement in the unipolar group was 36% and 40% in the bipolar group (P = .67). Use of bipolar sealer compared with standard unipolar electrocauterization showed no significant difference in postoperative drain output, postoperative hemoglobin level and hematocrit values, or transfusion requirements.