Functional and magnetic resonance imaging outcome after polyurethane meniscal scaffold implantation following partial meniscectomy.

PURPOSE: Prevention of the knee osteoarthritis following meniscectomy is implantation of an allotransplant or an artificial meniscus. We present retrospective study of our early results of the treatment using polyurethane meniscal scaffold. METHODS: From 2016 to 2020, we implanted nine polyurethane scaffolds (Actifit) after partial meniscectomy, five males and four females, age 36 (16-47), BMI 26.7 (17.2-35.9) kg/m2. Functional status, activity, pain, and MRI were assessed. RESULTS: FU 20.8 (6-48.5) months, 35.2 (0-68) months from the meniscectomy to the implantation. The average implant length was 46.1 (35-60) mm, average number of sutures was 7.6 (5-10). Lysholm score before surgery was 61.7 (49-85), after the surgery 86.4 (62-95) with p 0.0045, Tegner activity score before meniscectomy was 5.8 (4-7), after 3.8 (2-5), and after the scaffold implantation 4.6 (3-7) with p 0.0488. Before surgery, VAS score was 3.1 (2-4), and after 7.7 (5-9) with p 0.0042. Pursuant to the Genovese classification, the last follow-up MRI showed a type 2 meniscal morphology in four cases and a type 3 in five cases. Seven patients had type 1 and two had type 2 signal intensity. On average, the absolute extrusion of a transplanted meniscus was 3.67 mm, and the relative extrusion was 0.58 mm. Extrusion progress was not detected. CONCLUSION: Significantly improved knee functionality, increased level of physical activity, and reduced pain. MRI analysis revealed the meniscal transplant morphology and volume loss, as well as its extrusion without progression.

Functional results and patient satisfaction after arthroscopic capsular release of idiopathic and post-traumatic stiff shoulder.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this prospective study was to compare the functional results and patient satisfaction after arthroscopic shoulder capsular release in patients with idiopathic and posttraumatic stiff shoulder. METHODS: The study included 50 patients who underwent arthroscopic capsular release after failure of conservative treatment. The etiology of stiffness was either idiopathic (25 patients) or post-traumatic (25 patients). There were 28 women and 22 men with an average age of 49 years (range, 32-70 years). All patients were treated with physical therapy for a mean of six months (range, 3-12 months) before surgery. Range of motion was measured three times: 48 hours after surgery, then one month and six months after surgery. RESULTS: Constant score showed improvement for both groups of patients in the period of six months after surgery. In the group with idiopathic stiffness the score increased from 36 to 86, while in the group with post-traumatic stiff shoulder the score advanced from 32 to 91. The idiopathic stiff shoulder group had an improved active forward flexion from 90 to 161°, external rotation from 10 to 40°, and internal rotation from L5 to L1. In the post-traumatic stiff shoulder groupthe forward flexion was improved from 95 to 170°, external rotation from 13 to 40° and internal rotation from L4 to L1. CONCLUSION: There was an improvement of range of motions and patients' satisfaction after arthroscopic shoulder capsular release and manipulation under anesthesia, equally in idiopathic and post-traumatic stiff shoulder, compared to the situation before surgery. Post-traumatic contracture patients expressed higher level of satisfaction with their shoulder function than the idiopathic stiff shoulder patients.

Endoscopic treatment of the external snapping hip syndrome: surgical technique and report of two cases.

Snapping hip or coxa saltans is a condition characterized by an audible and/or palpable snapping during hip movement and can be associated with pain around the hip. There are various causes of this condition and can be divided into two types: extra-articular and intra-articular. The most common type is the external extra-articular, where the snapping is due to thickened posterior part of the iliotibial band or anterior part of the gluteus maximus muscle sliding over the greater trochanter during hip movement. Two patients with external snapping hip are presented, who were treated with our original endoscopic iliotibial band release and greater trochanteric bursectomy. There were no surgical complications and the patients did not experience snapping or pain in the hip during 24-month follow-up period. Results of various open techniques and one endoscopic technique in the treatment of external snapping hip are also reported.

[Osteochondritis dissecans of the ankle]. / Osteohondritis disekans gleznja.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of the microfracture method in the treatment of symptomatic osteochondral lesion of the talus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 24 patients operated by the mentioned method were prospectively followed-up. Standard radiological treatment was performed in all patients, ankle CT was performed in 10 patients, and MR was performed in 8 patients. Patients' subjective satisfaction with operation was assessed by SANE and Martin's score, while the objective function was assessed by AOFAS and Freiburg's score. RESULTS: The mean preoperative AOFAS score was 53 (from 31 to 61), while the mean postoperative AOFAS score was 87.5 (from 81 to 100). Postoperative Freiburg's score was 89.5 (from 76 to 100). The distribution of treatment outcomes was evaluated by the Martin's score and it revealed excellent, good and satisfying results in 94.5% patients, while the distribution of outcomes by the SANE questionnaire revealed excellent and good result in 91.8% patients. CONCLUSION: The arthroscopy of the ankle with microfractures is safe, cheap and effective method in the treatment of osteochondral lesions.

Arthroscopic transosseous suture anchor technique for rotator cuff repairs.

The skin is incised 1 to 2 cm distal to the lateral portal. A transosseous tunnel is created through the greater tuberosity by a sharp penetrator, entering 1.5 to 2 cm distal to the top of the greater tuberosity. The penetrator exits medially, between the tip of the greater tuberosity and the articular surface of the humeral head, in the middle of the footprint. The first anchor, a 5-mm Spiralok (DePuy Mitek, Norwood, MA) is placed at the penetrator's exit site on the footprint. Using a specially designed suture leader, the lateral limb of the suture in the anchor, which passes through the previously created transosseous tunnel, is taken from the anchor and pulled out. The other suture end is passed through the supraspinatus tendon. The second suture, placed superficially in the anchor, is passed from the anchor through the supraspinatus tendon, as a mattress suture. If more anchors are required, the procedure should be repeated. The transosseous suture limb and the suture limb that is passed through the supraspinatus tendon are tied through the lateral portal. The knot tying is then performed with a sliding Delimar knot. The mattress suture, passing through the supraspinatus tendon, is tied through the anterior lateral portal. The knot tying procedure is repeated depending on the number of anchors.

Arthroscopic extracapsular plication to treat multidirectional instability of the shoulder.

Successful arthroscopic treatment of multidirectional shoulder instability requires that the surgeon reduce the volume of the capsule. This goal can be achieved by using the extracapsular plication technique. There are several advantages to using pancapsular plication and an intra-articular knot. Much better potential for capsular healing exists when the outer layer of the capsule, which is composed of fibrous tissue, is tied extra-articularly. With the intra-articular plication technique, the inner layer of the capsule is synovia, which has less healing capacity. The amount of capsule plication that can be achieved with the extra-articular plication technique exceeds what is possible with the intra-articular plication technique. This is very important in patients who have a large degree of instability in the anterior, the posterior, and, particularly, the inferior direction. Thermal capsulorrhaphy enhances other arthroscopic stabilization procedures. Thermal striping helps to reduce capsular redundancy if laxity persists. However, with arthroscopic extracapsular plication, the capsular tissue can be shortened without using thermal energy.