Differential analysis of the impact of lesions' location on clinical and radiological outcomes after the implantation of a novel aragonite-based scaffold to treat knee cartilage defects.

PURPOSE: There is limited comparative evidence on patient outcomes following cartilage repair in various knee compartments. The aim of this study was to compare clinical and imaging outcomes after treating cartilage defects in femoral condyles and trochlea with either an aragonite-based scaffold or surgical standard of care (SSoC, i.e., debridement/microfractures) in a large multicentre randomized controlled trial. METHODS: 247 patients with up to three knee joint surface lesions (ICRS grade IIIa or above) in the femoral condyles, trochlea or both ("mixed"), were enrolled and randomized to surgery with either a cell-free aragonite scaffold or SSoC. Patients were followed for up to 48 months by analysing subjective scores (KOOS and IKDC), radiological outcomes (defect filling on MRI), as well as treatment failure rates and adverse events. A differential analysis of outcomes for condylar, trochlear and mixed lesions was performed. RESULTS: The scaffold group significantly outperformed the SSoC group regardless of lesion location with statistically significantly better KOOS Overall scores at 24 months (all p ≤ 0.0009) and 48 months (all p ≤ 0.02). Similar results were observed for KOOS subscales and IKDC scores. For KOOS responder rates, superiority of the implant group was demonstrated at 24, 36, and 48 months (all p ≤ 0.004). Higher defect filling on MRI for implants was observed for all locations. Lower treatment failure rates for the implant were observed in condylar and mixed lesions. CONCLUSION: The aragonite-based scaffold was safe and effective regardless of the defect location, providing superior clinical and radiological outcomes compared to SSoC up to four years follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I - Randomized controlled trial.

Articular cartilage repair in athletes.

Articular cartilage lesions in the athletic population commonly occur and result from the significant acute and chronic joint stress associated with high-impact sports. These lesions have poor intrinsic healing capacity, and the persistent defects in the joint surfaces cause pain, swelling, and mechanical symptoms that result in functional impairment and limitation of athletic participation. If untreated, articular cartilage lesions can lead to chronic joint degeneration and disability. Several techniques for articular cartilage repair have been recently developed with promising results. However, the significant joint stresses generated in athletes require an effective and durable cartilage surface restoration that can withstand the high mechanical demands in this population over time.

Treatment of Articular Cartilage Defects of the Knee With Microfracture and Enhanced Microfracture Techniques.

Chondral injuries in the knee are a common source of pain and morbidity. Treatment of symptomatic chondral defects is challenging due to the limited healing capacity of articular cartilage. Microfracture is the most common surgical technique used to treat chondral defects in the knee and utilizes marrow stimulation to generate a fibrocartilage repair. Microfracture has demonstrated good short-term postoperative outcomes. Long-term outcomes following microfracture are variable, with loss of improvement attributed to the poor mechanical qualities of the fibrous repair tissue. Current research is focusing on ways to optimize the repair environment after microfracture using biological scaffolds (enhanced microfracture) to facilitate chondrogenic differentiation and proliferation to improve the quality of repair tissue.

A treatment algorithm for the management of articular cartilage defects.

The clinical consequences of articular cartilage defects of the knee are pain, swelling, mechanical symptoms, athletic and functional disability, and osteoarthritis. Full thickness articular cartilage defects have a poor capacity to heal. The challenge to restore the articular cartilage surface is multidimensional, faced by basic scientists in the laboratory and orthopedic surgeons in the operating room. This article provides an overview of the contemporary treatment options available for the restoration of articular cartilage defects of the knee.

Acute athletic trauma to the hip and pelvis.

Athletic trauma to the hip and pelvis is rare; however, as football players hit harder and skiers ski faster, the incidence of high-energy hip and pelvis trauma can be expected to increase. As the energy of the injury increases, so do the associated risks. Therefore, a thorough understanding of on-field recognition and management is a necessary addition to the armamentarium of the sports medicine physician.

The effect of oblique femoral tunnel placement on rotational constraint of the knee reconstructed using patellar tendon autografts.

PURPOSE: Despite the high long-term success rates of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions, 8% of patients undergoing this primary procedure have recurrent disability and graft failure. Nonanatomic tunnel positioning (primarily of the femoral tunnel) accounts for most of all technical failures. We hypothesized that reconstructions that closely recreate the oblique femoral attachment of the ACL would result in more normal knee rotational stability than more vertical reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to determine whether obliquity of the femoral tunnel in the coronal (frontal) plane has an effect on rotational constraint after ACL reconstruction, as measured by anterior tibial translation, external rotation, and internal rotation. TYPE OF STUDY: Ex vivo biomechanical study. METHODS: Ten matched pairs of fresh-frozen cadaver knees were alternately assigned to a standard or an oblique tunnel position reconstruction. Each knee was tested at 30 degrees and 90 degrees of flexion on a materials testing machine in ACL-intact, ACL-sectioned, and ACL-reconstructed states. A 100-N load was applied at a rate of 10 N/second, and anterior tibial translation was measured. Then 6.5 Nm of torque were applied, and external tibial rotation and internal tibial rotation were measured. The effects of tunnel placement and ligament condition were analyzed with a repeated measures analysis of variance. Significance was set at P < or =.05 (Tukey's test). RESULTS: At 30 degrees of flexion, internal tibial rotation in oblique reconstruction was restored to intact values and was significantly less than the internal tibial rotation values in standard reconstruction. Internal tibial rotation in standard reconstruction was significantly greater than intact values. No significant differences were found between standard and oblique tunnel reconstructions and the respective intact values for the remaining internal tibial rotation and all external tibial rotation tests, regardless of flexion angle. CONCLUSIONS: In our biomechanical model, ACL reconstructions using oblique femoral tunnels restored normal knee kinematics.

Articular Cartilage Injury in Athletes.

Articular cartilage lesions in the athletic population are observed with increasing frequency and, due to limited intrinsic healing capacity, can lead to progressive pain and functional limitation over time. If left untreated, isolated cartilage lesions can lead to progressive chondropenia or global cartilage loss over time. A chondropenia curve is described to help predict the outcome of cartilage injury based on different lesion and patient characteristics. Nutriceuticals and chondroprotective agents are being investigated as tools to slow the development of chondropenia. Several operative techniques have been described for articular cartilage repair or replacement and, more recently, cartilage regeneration. Rehabilitation guidelines are being developed to meet the needs of these new techniques. Next-generation techniques are currently evaluated to optimize articular cartilage repair biology and to provide a repair cartilage tissue that can withstand the high mechanical loads experienced by the athlete with consistent long-term durability.

Emerging options for treatment of articular cartilage injury in the athlete.

Articular cartilage injury is observed with increasing frequency in both elite and amateur athletes and results from the significant joint stress associated particularly with high-impact sports. The lack of spontaneous healing of these joint surface defects leads to progressive joint pain and mechanical symptoms with resulting functional impairment and limitation of athletic participation. Left untreated, articular cartilage defects can lead to chronic joint degeneration and athletic disability. Articular cartilage repair in athletes requires effective and durable joint surface restoration that can withstand the significant joint stresses generated during athletic activity. Several techniques for articular cartilage repair have been developed recently, which can successfully restore articular cartilage surfaces and allow for return to high-impact athletics after articular cartilage injury. Besides these existing techniques, new promising scientific concepts and techniques are emerging that incorporate modern tissue engineering technologies and promise further improvement for the treatment of these challenging injuries in the demanding athletic population.