Lateralization and distalization shoulder angles do not predict outcomes in reverse shoulder arthroplasty for cuff tear arthropathy.

BACKGROUND: In reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA), there are a plethora of measurements regarding implant lateralization and distalization to optimize the center of rotation. Two specific measurements known as the "lateralization shoulder angle" (LSA) and "distalization shoulder angle" (DSA) have been the recent focus of studies to assess their association with RSA and postoperative function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic clinical value of the LSA and DSA in a large cohort of patients with cuff tear arthropathy (CTA) who were treated with different RSA systems. METHODS: Two local shoulder arthroplasty registries were reviewed for all RSA patients documented to have undergone a radiologic assessment and complete 2-year follow-up examination. The main inclusion criterion was primary RSA in patients with CTA. Patients with either a complete teres minor tear, os acromiale, or acromial stress fracture reported between the time of surgery and the 24-month follow-up were excluded. Five RSA implant systems with 4 neck-shaft angles (NSAs) were assessed. The Constant score, Subjective Shoulder Value, and range of motion at 2 years were correlated with both the LSA and DSA assessed on 6-month anteroposterior radiographs. Linear and parabolic univariable regressions were calculated for both shoulder angles, for each prosthesis system, and for the entire patient cohort. RESULTS: Between May 2006 and November 2019, there were a total of 630 CTA patients who had undergone primary RSA. Of this large cohort of patients, 270 were treated with the Promos Reverse prosthesis system (NSA, 155°); 44, Aequalis Reversed II (NSA, 155°); 62, Lima SMR Reverse (NSA, 150°); 25, Aequalis Ascend Flex (NSA, 145°); and 229, Univers Revers (NSA, 135°). The mean LSA was 78° (standard deviation [SD], 10°; range, 6°-107°), and the mean DSA was 51° (SD, 10°; range, 7°-91°). The average Constant score at 24 months' follow-up was 68.1 points (SD, 13 points; range, 13-96 points). Neither the linear nor parabolic regression calculations for the LSA or DSA revealed significant associations with any of the clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: Different patients may achieve different clinical outcomes despite having identical LSA and DSA values. There is no association between angular radiographic measurements and 2-year functional outcomes after RSA.

Arthroscopic Remnant Preserving 3-Portal Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Reverse Passage of the Graft.

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is the largest and strongest ligament of the knee, with a tremendous role as the primary posterior stabilizer of the knee. Surgical management of PCL injuries is very demanding, due to the fact that the PCL tear usually is a part of multiligamentous knee injury. Moreover, PCL anatomy, especially its course and attachment points to femur and tibia, makes reconstruction of the PCL technically challenging. The main pitfall is the sharp angle between created during reconstruction surgery bony tunnels, which forms so called "killer turn". The authors present a technique of the remnant-preserving PCL arthroscopic reconstruction that simplifies the procedure and uses the method of reverse passage of the PCL graft to overcome the killer turn.

Knee Osteochondral Defect Reconstruction With Autologous Bone Grafting and Mesenchymal Cell Transplantation.

Osteochondral defects of the knee are common in orthopaedic patients. They are challenging to treat, especially in young, highly demanding patients who do not qualify for arthroplasty. Among the many possibilities to treat osteochondral lesions presented so far, none is ideal. Because of the poor healing potential of cartilage, treatment outcomes significantly worsen with larger lesions. The treatment of large defects usually requires expensive solutions, sometimes including second-stage surgery. Using mesenchymal stem cell transplantation and cancellous bone autografts, the technique presented here for osteochondral lesion reconstruction can be effectively used to treat large osteochondral lesions in a single-stage procedure.

Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients Treated for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Potential Role of Methotrexate: A Preliminary Study.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is reported in rheumatological diseases in adults. The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and to investigate potential correlations between vitamin D status and clinical factors, laboratory traits, and medical treatment, including methotrexate (MTX) and glucocorticoids (GCs). Methods: In 189 patients aged 3−17.7 years, with JIA in the stable stage of the disease, anthropometry, clinical status, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], calcium (Ca), phosphate (PO4), total alkaline phosphatase (ALP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed. Results: Median 25(OH)D level was 15.00 ng/mL, interquartile range (IQR) 12.00 ng/mL. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 67.2% and was independent of sex, disease manifestation, and CRP, ESR, ALP, or PO4 levels. Higher doses of MTX corresponded with lower 25(OH)D levels using both univariate and multivariate models (p < 0.05). No such trend was found for GCs treatment. Serum Ca was lower in patients treated with GCs (p = 0.004), MTX (p = 0.03), and combined GCs/MTX (p = 0.034). Conclusions: JIA patients are vitamin D depleted independently of disease activity or inflammatory markers. MTX therapy may be an iatrogenic factor leading to inadequate 25(OH)D levels. Vitamin D supplementation should be considered in all children with JIA, particularly those receiving long-term MTX therapy.

Both arthroscopic and open posterior knee capsulotomy are effective in terms of extension recovery and functional improvement-systematic review.

PURPOSE: To assess the recovery of extension and improvement in functional scores after an arthroscopic or open posterior knee capsulotomy in the setting of an extension deficit. METHODS: A systematic search of articles published between 1980 and 2020 was performed in the MEDLINE/PubMed database, EMBASE/Ovid database and Web of Science database. The inclusion criteria consisted of patients with primary extension deficits > 5° who underwent an arthroscopic or open posterior knee capsulotomy. The assessed outcomes were preoperative and postoperative range of motion and functional outcome scores. Randomized controlled trials, cohort studies and case series with a follow-up longer than 6 months were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool for case series. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: Of 226 records identified through database searching, 7 studies were included in the final analysis. The outcomes of 107 patients with a mean age of 34.1 (range 15-63) years were available. In all the included studies, a posterior capsulotomy resulted in the restoration of knee extension to normal or nearly normal values (mean postoperative extension deficit: 0.4-4.2 degrees) with a significant increase in functional outcome scores. No neurovascular complications were reported within the studies. Due to the diverse methodology of studies, the direct comparison of arthroscopic versus open approaches was not possible. Concerning the risk of bias assessment, the greatest concerns raised the selection of participants among the included studies and the methods of outcome measurement. The certainty of evidence was very low according to the GRADE. CONCLUSIONS: Both arthroscopic and open posterior capsulotomy of the knee results in restoration of normal or nearly normal knee extension and significant improvement in functional outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Arthroscopy-Assisted Management of Schatzker Type III Lateral Tibial Plateau Fracture With Interference Screw Fixation.

Tibial plateau fractures occur in both old and young patients and may be caused by low-energy trauma, as well as high-energy trauma. Owing to the variety of injury mechanisms and fracture patterns, tibial plateau fractures are very challenging to treat. One of the most demanding fractures is the type III fracture according to the Schatzker classification, which is a pure depression of the lateral tibial plateau. Treatment with open surgical procedures is associated with vast soft-tissue trauma and prolonged recovery after surgery. Although soft-tissue trauma is minimized and visual control is improved throughout arthroscopy-assisted surgical procedures, internal fixation using buttress plates or lag screws is still required to reduce and fix the depressed plateau. We present an arthroscopy-assisted technique of reduction and fixation of the lateral tibial plateau fracture with 3 BioComposite interference screws (Arthrex, Munich, Germany) that provides a high amount of stability and reduces patient immobilization, allowing for faster rehabilitation.

Quadriceps Tendon-Bone Full-Thickness Autograft: Reproducible and Easy Harvesting Technique Using Simple Surgical Tools.

Autogenous quadriceps tendon-bone graft is a great choice for knee reconstruction procedures, including primary and revision reconstructions of both anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament. In primary ACL reconstruction, one of the most frequently performed procedures in orthopaedic surgery, it is gaining more and more popularity owing to improved or similar biomechanical, anatomic, and histological properties than bone-patellar tendon-bone graft. The clinical outcomes of quadriceps tendon-bone graft in ACL reconstruction are similar to bone-patellar tendon-bone graft, however, lowering the inconvenience associated with donor-site morbidity and making it possible to adjust graft length and diameter. This Technical Note describes a surgical technique for harvesting a full-thickness quadriceps tendon graft with a bone block using simple surgical tools.

External Snapping Hip Syndrome Endoscopic Treatment: "Fan-like" Technique as a Stepwise, Tailor-made Solution.

Classically, external snapping hip syndrome (ESHS) is considered to be caused by friction of a tight iliotibial band (ITB) over the greater trochanter (GT), which leads to pain, inflammation, and palpable or audible snapping. Surgical treatment remains a gold standard in patients resistant to conservative measures. Many surgical procedures addressing ESHS exist in the literature, but the vast majority of them involve only plasties of the ITB. However, observations led us to the conclusion that friction of the ITB over the GT may not be the only cause of ESHS and other structures like gluteal fascias or an anterior scarred part of gluteus maximus may be involved. The aim of this article is to provide a detailed description and video demonstration of an endoscopic surgical procedure using a "fan-like" cut to treat the ESHS. Its greatest advantage is the ability to gradually increase the extent of surgery based on intraoperative observations. It turns the procedure into a tailor-made surgery, which offers good and reproducible results.

Synovialization and Revascularization Enhancement in Repaired and Reconstructed ACL: PCL Fat Pad Transfer Technique.

The rapid development of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and repair techniques has significantly improved the outcomes of these procedures. However, there is still some place for how to improve surgical techniques to limit the amount of revision surgeries. Over the past decade, biological solutions and methods of ligament remodeling enhancement have been proposed. The use of the native ACL remnants has been the most thoroughly analyzed technique. However, despite its benefits, this technique may not to be sufficient to improve outcomes and may cause some technical difficulties. On the other hand, the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) fat pad contains an abundant synovial vascular network and is located in close proximity to the ACL, which makes it a potential biological donor place of cells and tissue that could enhance the ligamentization of the repaired or reconstructed ACL. To optimize the use of this donor site, we propose the technique of ACL synovialization and revascularization enhancement with a PCL fat pad transfer.

You Can Repair More Tears Than You Think-Tricks for All-Inside Lateral Meniscal Repair With Nonabsorbable Sutures.

Since the role of the menisci has been better understood, there is a trend toward the meniscal repair rather than meniscectomy in the management of meniscal tears. Although numerous techniques of meniscal repair have been described and many authors advocate for and against each of them, no single method is universally accepted. The all-inside repair provides several advantages, such as a lower risk of neurovascular injury, the early introduction of exercises in passive range of motion, or the high strength of the repair. However, the all-inside meniscal repair with nonabsorbable suture is considered to be a technically demanding procedure with a long learning curve needed to perform it properly. The purpose of this Technical Note is to present the technique of lateral meniscus repair with nonabsorbable sutures and to provide surgical pearls to facilitate this procedure.

Technique for Treatment of Subchondral Compression Fracture of the Lateral Femoral Condyle Associated With ACL Tear.

Excessive knee pivoting that causes a complete anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear may result in a subchondral compression fracture on the lateral femoral condyle after impacting the lateral tibial condyle. Because this mechanism is similar to the humeral head that has an impact on the glenoid during an anterior shoulder dislocation, such an osteochondral fracture can be considered equivalent to a "Hill-Sachs lesion of the knee." Restoring the native anatomy of the lateral femoral condyle articular surface is crucial, because its depression alters knee biomechanics, leading to bony knee instability, potentially greatly elevating the risk of ACL reconstruction failure and meniscal tears. In addition, bony knee instability increases the forces acting on the cartilage, which may impair one's quality of life and lead to the development of osteoarthritis. The fact that many patients with complete ACL tears are relatively young emphasizes the key role of osteoarthritis prevention. The aim of this report is to present a minimally invasive procedure to treat the "Hill-Sachs-like" knee lesion, a tricky enemy of knee stability.

Spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee: what do we know so far? A literature review.

PURPOSE: Spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee (SONK) is said to be a relatively common disease which may lead to an end-stage osteoarthritis of the knee. The aim of this paper was to review the literature on this field published until now, discuss the results of both conservative and surgical treatment options, as well as to introduce new methods of treatment, which may be applicable in SONK treatment. METHODS: We searched the PubMed and Cochrane databases until November 2019 and presented the most recent findings in this work. RESULTS: The exact aetiology of SONK still remains unclear; however, recent studies suggested that early stage of SONK is rather a result of the subchondral fracture than primary osteonecrosis. So far described conservative treatment includes non-weight bearing or protected weight bearing with a knee brace, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, and bisphosphonates. Surgical management includes arthroscopic debridement, core decompression, osteochondral autograft, high tibial osteotomy, and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty or total knee arthroplasty. CONCLUSIONS: Although the aetiology of SONK remains unknown, there are many treatment options, and the choice of the most suitable one is challenging. We think that subchondroplasty may be one of the effective methods.

Arthroscopic Anatomic Anterior Talofibular Ligament Repair for Anterolateral Ankle Instability.

Ankle instability is due to repetitive inversion injuries and is usually treated conservatively; however, after repeated sprains, chronic instability occurs and usually requires a surgical procedure. Recently, arthroscopic repair of a torn anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) has become more popular owing to its minimal invasiveness and high efficacy. An all-inside technique allows for anatomic restoration of the injured ATFL, provides stability to the ankle joint, prevents a limitation of ankle range of motion, and may prevent arthritic development. We present an all-inside arthroscopic ATFL repair technique.

Medial Collateral Ligament Reconstruction With Anteromedial Reinforcement for Medial and Anteromedial Rotatory Instability of the Knee.

Even though structures of the medial side of the knee have a high potential to heal without surgery, in some circumstances injuries of this region may lead to development of chronic medial and anteromedial rotatory instability (AMRI). In those circumstances, surgery should be performed. Current-day surgical techniques are focused on recreating the function of the main stabilizers of the medial side of the knee, which are the medial collateral ligament and the posterior oblique ligament, but they omit the role of the anteromedial capsule. Nonetheless, they are able to restore at most "near-native" biomechanics of the joint, are highly invasive, and require advanced skills in posteromedial knee surgery. Maybe we should take a look at chronic medial instability and AMRI from the other side? We present a minimally invasive reconstruction of the superficial medial collateral ligament with anteromedial reinforcement for the AMRI component. Level of evidence: 1 (knee) and 2 (collateral ligaments).

All-Arthroscopic Treatment of Schatzker Type III Lateral Tibial Plateau Fracture Without Fluoroscopy.

Tibial plateau fracture treatment remains challenging for orthopaedic surgeons around the world, especially in case of type III fractures according to the Schatzker classification, which are a pure depression of the lateral tibial plateau. Whereas open surgical procedures are associated with increased soft-tissue trauma because of the extent of the surgical approach and do not always allow for proper visualization of the fracture site, arthroscopic-assisted surgeries have been proven to have benefits over the former in terms of minimizing soft-tissue trauma, improved visual control of the fracture reduction, and the time of recovery. Most arthroscopic techniques, however, require using fluoroscopy. We present an all-arthroscopic procedure for Schatzker type III lateral tibial plateau fractures with using a trans-septal portal for visualization, which does not demand fluoroscopy.

Possible Approaches to Endoscopic Treatment of Popliteal Cysts: From the Basics to Troublesome Cases.

Popliteal cysts can be an oppressive symptom in patients with concomitant intra-articular knee pathologies. Because isolated treatment of intra-articular lesions is usually not sufficient to resolve the problems associated with a large symptomatic popliteal cyst, a popliteal cyst should be concurrently addressed with other knee pathologies to maximize patient outcomes. Conservative treatment and open surgical excision are associated with high rates of recurrence, so arthroscopic techniques are the preferred treatment options for recalcitrant cases. Arthroscopic communication-enlargement surgery with cyst wall removal seems to be the most effective. We present a simple and effective basic technique for arthroscopic popliteal cyst treatment and some approaches that allow management of the more demanding cases.

Minimally Invasive, Arthroscopic-Assisted, Anatomic Posterolateral Corner Reconstruction.

As the anatomy and biomechanics of the posterolateral corner (PLC) of the knee have become better understood, the importance of the PLC's proper function has become a more frequently raised subject. Misdiagnosed chronic posterolateral instability may lead to serious consequences, including cruciate ligament reconstruction graft failure. It has been proved that high-grade PLC injuries need to be treated operatively. Surgical approaches vary, and techniques are still developing. Considering avoidance of an extended surgical approach and minimizing the risk of common peroneal nerve or popliteal artery injuries, we developed the minimally invasive, arthroscopic-assisted, anatomic PLC reconstruction.

Tips and Pearls for All-Inside Medial Meniscus Repair.

The medial meniscus is one of the most commonly injured structures in the knee. When the importance of its proper function is well understood, an adequate management in meniscus tear is a key issue for whole knee joint well-being. Although it has been proven that meniscal repairs have better long-term results than meniscectomy, there is still no consensus as to which suturing technique is the best. An all-inside technique seems to allow for the most anatomic repairs with the greatest preservation of surrounding soft tissues. Our aim is to show that there are no technical limits for all-inside meniscal repairs with nonabsorbable sutures. We describe the technique and some tricks for medial meniscus repair in this Technical Note.

Superficial Medial Collateral Ligament Reattachment During High Tibial Osteotomy: Regulate Tension, Preserve Stability!

High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is a commonly performed surgical procedure. Although it is well-known that the superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL) should be released during HTO, there is still no agreement on performing its reattachment. Considering the function of the sMCL, after its release during HTO, increased medial joint instability may be expected. We present a technique for sMCL reattachment that prevents medial gapping development and maintains nearly native pressure on the medial compartment of the knee joint by matching the tension on the sMCL to the size of the osteotomy gap. This technique is suitable for any correction angle.

All-Arthroscopic Posterior Cruciate Ligament Distal Reattachment With Extracortical Fixation.

Avulsion fractures of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) are a rare, but serious, knee pathology. Early surgical treatment is regarded as necessary to maintain knee stability. Recommended management involves open reduction with internal fixation through a posterior approach. However, open surgeries are associated with a greater risk of complications. Current data suggest excellent outcomes for arthroscopic-assisted fixation, with a low complication rate. The purpose of this technical note is to present an all-arthroscopic PCL distal reattachment with extracortical fixation technique. This technique provides precise fracture reduction, is easily reproducible, and is relatively safe to treat PCL tibial avulsion fractures.