Aim. Arthroscopic interventions have revolutionized the treatment of joint pathologies. The appropriate diagnostics and treatment are required for infections after ligament reconstructions using non-resorbable material such as tendon grafts, anchors, and sutures, prone to biofilm formation. The infection rate is around 1% for knee and shoulder, while up to 4% for Achilles tendon reconstructions. Despite high number of these procedures worldwide, there is limited evidence about the best treatment protocol. Our study aimed to provide a general protocol for the treatment of small implants for soft tissue reconstruction. Method. Between 2019 and 2023, we treated 48 infections of ligament, meniscus, and tendon reconstructions out of 7291 related procedures performed in the same time period. Early infection (<30 days) were treated with an arthroscopic debridement and implant retention (DAIR), except Achilles tendons had open DAIR, while those with delayed or chronic infection (>30 days) were treated with extensive debridement and lavage combined with one-stage exchange (OSE) or implant removal. During surgery, at least 5 microbiological s and samples for histopathology were obtained. The removed material was sonicated. After surgery, all patients were one week on iv. antibiotics, followed by oral antibiofilm antibiotics for 6 weeks including rifampicin and/or a quinolone. All patients were followed for at least 1 year. Failure was defined as the need for additional revision surgery after finished iv. antibiotic treatment. Results. Among 48 patients, 38 were early and 10 were late acute or chronic infections. The incidence of infection for our cohort was 0.7%. We observed 27 infections after ligament reconstruction of the knee, 15 of the shoulder, 5 of the ankle, and 1 infection of the elbow joint. 40 patients were treated with DAIR, 5 with OSE, and 3 with implant removal. We had 11 C. acnes, 10 S. aureus, 6 S. epidermidis, 2 P. aeruginosa, 2 S. lugdunensis, 10 mixed flora, and 3 culture-negative infections. 12 patients received antibiotics before surgery, and all culture-negative infections were related to this subgroup. We observed 2 failures, both in a combination of proximal tibial osteotomy and ligament reconstruction of the knee joint. The success rate of our protocol was 96%. Conclusions. Prompt surgical treatment followed by 6 weeks of antibiotic treatment cured 96% of infections of small implants after reconstruction procedures of knee, shoulder, and ankle joints. Our study is the first to provide a treatment protocol for infections of small implants after ligament reconstruction procedures

Aims

Distal femoral osteotomies (DFOs) are commonly used for the correction of valgus deformities and lateral compartment osteoarthritis. However, the impact of a DFO on subsequent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) function remains a subject of debate. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a unilateral DFO on subsequent TKA function in patients with bilateral TKAs, using the contralateral knee as a self-matched control group.

Aims

Micromotion of the polyethylene (PE) inlay may contribute to backside PE wear in addition to articulate wear of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Using radiostereometric analysis (RSA) with tantalum beads in the PE inlay, we evaluated PE micromotion and its relationship to PE wear.

Aims

As an alternative to external fixators, intramedullary lengthening nails (ILNs) can be employed for distraction osteogenesis. While previous studies have demonstrated that typical complications of external devices, such as soft-tissue tethering, and pin site infection can be avoided with ILNs, there is a lack of studies that exclusively investigated tibial distraction osteogenesis with motorized ILNs inserted via an antegrade approach.

Abstract. Background. Distal femoral osteotomy is an established successful procedure which can delay the progression of arthritis and the need for knee arthroplasty. The surgery, however, is complex and lengthy and consequently it is generally the preserve of highly experienced specialists and thus not widely offered. Patient specific instrumentation is known to reduce procedural complexity, time, and surgeons’ anxiety levels. 1. in proximal tibial osteotomy procedures. This study evaluated a novel patient specific distal femoral osteotomy procedure (Orthoscape, Bath, UK) which aimed to use custom-made implants and instrumentation to provide a precision correction while also simplifying the procedure so that more surgeons would be comfortable offering the procedure. Presenting problem. Three patients (n=3) with early-stage knee arthritis presented with valgus malalignment, the source of which was predominantly located within the distal femur, rather than intraarticular. Using conventional techniques and instrumentation, distal femoral knee osteotomy cases typically require 1.5–2 hours surgery time. The use of bi-planar osteotomy cuts have been shown to improve intraoperative stability as well as bone healing times. 2. This normally also increases surgical complexity; however, multiple cutting slots can be easily incorporated into patient specific instrumentation. Clinical management. All three cases were treated at a high-volume tertiary referral centre (Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna) using medial closing wedge distal femoral knee osteotomies by a team experienced in using patient specific osteotomy systems. 3. Virtual surgical planning was conducted using CT-scans and long-leg weight-bearing x-rays (Orthoscape, Bath, UK). Patient specific surgical guides and custom-made locking plates were design for each case. The guides were designed to allow temporary positioning, drilling and bi-planar saw-cutting. The drills were positioned such that the drills above and below the osteotomy became parallel on closing following osteotomy wedge removal. This gave reassurance of the achieved correction allowed the plate to be located precisely over the drills. All screw lengths were pre-measured. Discussion. The surgical time reduced to approximately 30 minutes by the third procedure. It was evident that surgical time was saved because no intraoperative screw length measurements were required, relatively few x-rays were used to confirm the position of the surgical guide, and the use of custom instrumentation significantly reduced the surgical inventory. The reduced invasiveness and ease of surgery may contribute to faster patient recovery compared to conventional techniques. The final post-operative alignment was within 1° of the planned alignment in all cases. Declaration of Interest. (a) fully declare any financial or other potential conflict of interest

Abstract. Introduction. Changes in posterior tibial slope (PTS) and patellar height (PH) following proximal tibial osteotomies have been a recent focus for knee surgeons. Increased PTS and decreased PH following medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) have been repeatedly reported in the literature. However, this has been disputed in more recent biomechanical studies. Methodology. A total of 62 cases who underwent MOWHTO were included. Surgery was performed using a dedicated step-by-step protocol focusing on the risks of unintentional slope changes. Clinically, all patients were evaluated preoperatively and at 2 years follow-up with the KOOS scores and UCLA physical activity scale. Preoperative and postoperative radiographic lower limb alignment parameters were measured on full-length lower limb radiographs, including (HKA), (MPTA), (mLDFA), proximal posterior tibial angle (PPTA), (JLCA) and(JLO). PH measurements were assessed on radiographs. Results. There was a significant change in the coronal plane alignment; the mMPTA changed from 84.38° to 90.39°, and the HKA changed from 172.19° to 180.15° (Both P < 0.0001). There was no significant change in the PTS as evidenced by a postoperative PPTA of 80.56 ° from a preoperative of 80.36°. And no significant change in the PH with all the indices; preoperative Caton Deschamps, Insall Salvati, and Schröter indices measured 0.95, 1.03, and 1.56, respectively. In comparison to postoperative measures of 0.93, 1.03, and 1.54, respectively. Conclusion. MOWHTO does not change the PTS or PH when accurate preoperative planning and precise intraoperative freehand technique are adopted. Involuntary modification of these anatomic parameters should be considered surgical errors

Introduction. Snapping hip syndrome is a common condition affecting 10% of the population. It is due to the advance of the iliotibial band (ITB) over the greater trochanter during lower limb movements and often associated with hip overuse, such as in athletic activities. Management is commonly conservative with physiotherapy or can be surgical to release the ITB. Here we carry out a systematic review into published surgical management and present a case report on an overlooked cause of paediatric snapping hip syndrome. Materials & Methods. A systematic review looking at published surgical management of snapping hip was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for “((Snapping hip OR Iliotibial band syndrome OR ITB syndrome) AND (Management OR treatment))”. Adult and paediatric published studies were included as few results were found on paediatric snapping hip alone. Results. 1548 studies were screened by 2 independent reviewers. 8 studies were included with a total of 134 cases, with an age range of 14–71 years. Surgical management ranged from arthroscopic, open or ultrasound guided release of the ITB, as well as gluteal muscle releases. Common outcome measures showed statistically significant improvement pre- and post-operatively in visual analogue pain score (VAPS) and the Harris Hip Score (HHS). VAPS improved from an average of 6.77 to 0.3 (t-test p value <0.0001) and the HHS improved from an average of 62.6 to 89.4 (t-test p value <0.0001). Conclusions. Although good surgical outcomes have been reported, no study has reported on the effect of rotational profile of the lower limbs and snapping hip syndrome. We present the case of a 13-year-old female with snapping hip syndrome and trochanteric pain. Ultrasound confirmed external snapping hip with normal soft tissue morphology and radiographs confirmed no structural abnormalities. Following extensive physiotherapy and little improvement, she presented again aged 17 with concurrent anterior knee pain, patella mal-tracking and an asymmetrical out-toeing gait. CT rotational profile showed 2° of femoral neck retroversion and excessive external tibial torsion of 52°. Consequently, during her gait cycle, in order to correct her increased foot progression angle, the hip has to internally rotate approximately 35–40°, putting the greater trochanter in an anterolateral position in stance phase. This causes the ITB to snap over her abnormally positioned greater trochanter. Therefore, to correct rotational limb alignment, a proximal tibial de-rotation osteotomy was performed with 25° internal rotation correction. Post-operatively the patient recovered well, HHS score improved from 52.5 to 93.75 and her snapping hip has resolved. This study highlights the importance of relevant assessment and investigation of lower limb rotational profile when exploring causes of external snapping hip, especially where ultrasound and radiographs show no significant pathology

Introduction. Aneurysmal bone cysts commonly found in lower limbs are locally aggressive masses that can lead to bony erosion, instability and fractures. This has major implications in the lower limbs especially in paediatric patients, with potential growth disturbance and deformity. In this case series we describe radical aneurysmal bone cyst resection and lower limb reconstruction using cable transport and syndesmosis preservation. Materials & Methods. Case 1 - A 12-year-old boy presented with a two-week history of atraumatic right ankle pain. An X-ray demonstrated a distal tibia metaphyseal cyst confirmed on biopsy as an aneurysmal bone cyst. The cyst expanded on interval X-rays from 5.5cm to 8.5cm in 9 weeks. A wide-margin en-bloc resection was performed leaving a 13.8cm tibial defect. A cable transport hexapod frame and a proximal tibial osteotomy was performed, with syndesmosis screw fixation. The transport phase lasted 11 months. While in frame, the boy sustained a distal femur fracture from a fall. The femur and the docking site were plated at the same sitting and frame removed. At one-year post-frame removal he is pain-free, with full ankle dorsiflexion but plantarflexion limited to 25 degrees. He has begun graduated return to sport. Results. Case 2 - A 12-year-old girl was referred with a three-month history of lateral left ankle swelling. X-ray demonstrated an aneurysmal bone cyst in the distal fibula metaphysis. The cyst grew from 4.2 × 2.3cm to 5.2 × 3.32cm in 2 months. A distal fibula resection (6.2cm) with syndesmosis fixation and hexapod cable transport frame were undertaken. The frame was in situ for 13 weeks and during this time she required an additional osteotomy for premature consolidation and had one pin site infection. After 13 weeks a second syndesmosis screw was placed, frame removed, and a cast applied. 3 months later she had fibular plating, BMAC and autologous iliac crest bone graft for slow union. At 3 years post-operative she has no evidence of recurrence, is pain-free and has no functional limitation. Conclusions. We describe two cases of ankle syndesmosis preservation using cable transport for juxta-articular aneurysmal bone cysts. This allows wide resection to prevent recurrence while also preserving primary ankle stability and leg length in children. Both children had a minor complication, but both had an excellent final outcome. Cable bone transport and prophylactic syndesmosis stabilization allows treatment of challenging juxta-articular aneurysmal bone cysts about the ankle. These techniques are especially useful in large bone defects

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft failure from rupture, attenuation, or malposition may cause recurrent subjective instability and objective laxity, and occurs in 3% to 22% of ACL reconstruction (ACLr) procedures. Revision ACLr is often indicated to restore knee stability, improve knee function, and facilitate return to cutting and pivoting activities. Prior to reconstruction, a thorough clinical and diagnostic evaluation is required to identify factors that may have predisposed an individual to recurrent ACL injury, appreciate concurrent intra-articular pathology, and select the optimal graft for revision reconstruction. Single-stage revision can be successful, although a staged approach may be used when optimal tunnel placement is not possible due to the position and/or widening of previous tunnels. Revision ACLr often involves concomitant procedures such as meniscal/chondral treatment, lateral extra-articular augmentation, and/or osteotomy. Although revision ACLr reliably restores knee stability and function, clinical outcomes and reoperation rates are worse than for primary ACLr.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(5):474–480.

Conventional proximal tibial osteotomy is a widely successful joint-preserving treatment for osteoarthritis; however, conventional procedures do not adequately control the posterior tibial slope (PTS). Alterations to PTS can affect knee instability, ligament tensioning, knee kinematics, muscle and joint contact forces as well as range of motion. This study primarily aimed to provide a comprehensive investigation of the variables influencing PTS during high tibial osteotomy using a 3D surgical simulation approach. Secondly, it aimed to provide a simple means of implementing the findings in future 3D pre-operative planning and /or clinically. The influence of two key variables: the gap opening angle and the hinge axis orientation on PTS was investigated using three independent approaches: (1) 3D computational simulation using CAD software to perform virtual osteotomy surgery and simulate the post-operative outcome. (2) Derivation of a closed-form mathematical solution using a generalised vector rotation approach (3) Clinical assessment of synthetically generated x-rays of osteoarthritis patients (n=28; REC reference: 17/HRA/0033, RD&E NHS, UK) for comparison against the theoretical/computational approaches. The results from the computational and analytical assessments agreed precisely. For three different opening angles (6°, 9° and 12°) and 7 different hinge axis orientations (from −30° to 30°), the results obtained were identical. A simple analytical solution for the change in PTS, ΔP. s,. based on the hinge axis angle, α, and the osteotomy opening angle, θ, was derived:. ΔP. s. =sin. -1. (sin α sin θ). The clinical assessment demonstrated that the absolute values of PTS, and changes resulting from various osteotomies, matched the results from the two relative prediction methods. This study has demonstrated that PTS is impacted by the hinge axis angle and the extent of the osteotomy opening angle and provided computational evidence and analytical formula for general use

Aims. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to assess and investigate the safety and efficacy of using a distal tibial osteotomy compared to proximal osteotomy for limb lengthening in children. Methods. In this study, there were 59 consecutive tibial lengthening and deformity corrections in 57 children using a circular frame. All were performed or supervised by the senior author between January 2013 and June 2019. A total of 25 who underwent a distal tibial osteotomy were analyzed and compared to a group of 34 who had a standard proximal tibial osteotomy. For each patient, the primary diagnosis, time in frame, complications, and lengthening achieved were recorded. From these data, the frame index was calculated (days/cm) and analyzed. Results. All patients ended their treatment with successful lengthening and deformity correction. The frame index for proximal versus distal osteotomies showed no significant difference, with a mean 48.5 days/cm (30 to 85) and 48.9 days/cm (28 to 81), respectively (p = 0.896). In the proximal osteotomy group, two patients suffered complications (one refracture after frame removal and one failure of regenerate maturation with subsequent valgus deformity) compared to zero in the distal osteotomy group. Two patients in each group sustained obstacles that required intervention (one necessitated guided growth, one fibula lengthening, and two required change of wires). There was a similar number of problems (pin-site infections) in each group. Conclusion. Our data show that distal tibial osteotomies can be safely employed in limb lengthening for children using a circular frame, which has implications in planning a surgical strategy; for example, when treating a tibia with shortening and distal deformity, a second osteotomy for proximal lengthening is not required. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(11):1273–1278

Introduction. Distal femoral and proximal tibial osteotomies are effective procedures to treat degenerative disease of the knee joint. Previously described techniques advocate the use of bone graft to promote healing at the osteotomy site. In this present study a novel technique which utilises the osteogenic potential of the cambial periosteal layer to promote healing “from the outside in” is described. Materials and Methods. A retrospective analysis of a consecutive single-surgeon series of 23 open wedge osteotomies around the knee was performed. The median age of the patients was 37 years (range 17–51 years). The aetiology of the deformities included primary genu valgum (8/23), fracture malunion (4/23), multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (4/23), genu varum (2/23), hypophosphataemic rickets (1/23), primary osteoarthritis (1/23), inflammatory arthropathy (1/23), post-polio syndrome (1/23), and pseudoachondroplasia (1/23). Results. There were two cases lost to follow-up with a median follow-up period 17 months (range 1–32 months). Union was achieved in all cases, with 1/23 requiring revision for early fixation failure for technical reasons. The median time to radiographic union 3.2 months (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 2.5–3.8 95% CI). CT scans demonstrated early periosteal callus, beneath the osteoperiosteal flap, bridging the opening wedge cortex. Clinical union occurred at 4.1 months (95% CI 3.9–4.2 months). Complications included superficial surgical site infection (1/23), deep vein thrombosis (1/23), and symptomatic metalwork requiring removal (7/23). Conclusions. The osteoperiosteal flap technique was a safe and effective technique for opening wedge osteotomies around the knee with a reliable rate of union

Despite multiple published reviews, the optimum method of correction and stabilisation of Blount's disease remains controversial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of acute correction of late-onset tibial vara by percutaneous proximal tibial osteotomy with circular external fixation using two simple rings. This technique was developed to minimise cost in a context of limited resources. This study was conducted between 2016 and 2020. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical notes and radiographs of 30 patients (32tibiae) who had correction of late-onset tibia by proximal tibial osteotomy and Ilizarov external fixator. All cases were followed up to 2 years. The mean proximal tibial angle was 65.7° (±7.8) preoperatively and 89.8° (±1.7) postoperatively. The mean mechanical axis deviation improved from 56.2 (±8.3) preoperatively to 2.8 (±1.6) mm postoperatively. The mean femoral-tibial shaft angle was changed from – 34.3° (±6.7) preoperatively to 5.7° (±2.8) after correction. Complications included overcorrection (9%) and pin tract infection (25%). At final follow up, all patients had full knee range of motion and normal function. All cases progressed to union and there were no cases of recurrence of deformity. This simple procedure provides secure fixation allowing early weight bearing and early return to function. It can be used in the context of health care systems with limited resources. It has a relatively low complication rate. Our results suggest that acute correction and simple circular frame fixation is an excellent treatment choice for cases of late-onset tibia vara, especially in severe deformities

Aims

This study aimed to identify the tibial component and femoral component coronal angles (TCCAs and FCCAs), which concomitantly are associated with the best outcomes and survivorship in a cohort of fixed-bearing, cemented, medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasties (UKAs). We also investigated the potential two-way interactions between the TCCA and FCCA.

Aims

Inadvertent soft tissue damage caused by the oscillating saw during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) occurs when the sawblade passes beyond the bony boundaries into the soft tissue. The primary objective of this study is to assess the risk of inadvertent soft tissue damage during jig-based TKA by evaluating the excursion of the oscillating saw past the bony boundaries. The second objective is the investigation of the relation between this excursion and the surgeon’s experience level.

Aims

Following the introduction of national standards in 2009, most major paediatric trauma is now triaged to specialist units offering combined orthopaedic and plastic surgical expertise. We investigated the management of open tibia fractures at a paediatric trauma centre, primarily reporting the risk of infection and rate of union.

The biomechanical rationale for osteotomy and the pathogenesis of degenerative arthrosis accompanying malalignment has been delineated well. Malalignment of the limb results in added stress on damaged articular cartilage and causes further loss of articular cartilage that subsequently exacerbates the limb malalignment. A downward spiral of progressive deformity and additional loss of articular cartilage occurs over time. Osteotomy can be used to realign the limb, reduce stress on the articular cartilage at risk and share the load with the opposite compartment of the knee. In appropriately selected patients osteotomy is a reliable operation to improve pain and function. Over the past two decades osteotomy has been viewed largely as a temporizing measure to buy time for patients before they ultimately have a total knee arthroplasty. In this role, osteotomy has largely been accepted as successful. Substantial improvements in pain and function have been documented and seem to hold up well over a 7- to 10-year period after the osteotomy. Medial opening wedge osteotomy has recently gained in popularity in the United States after a long period of use in Europe. Potential advantages of the medial opening wedge technique include the ability to easily adjust the degree of correction intra-operatively, the ability to correct deformities in the sagittal plane as well as the coronal plane, the need to make only one bone cut, and avoiding the tibiofibular joint. The downsides of the opening wedge technique include the need for bone graft to fill the created defect, a potentially higher rate of non-union or delayed union, and a longer period of restricted weight bearing after the procedure.

The biomechanical rationale for osteotomy and the pathogenesis of degenerative arthrosis accompanying malalignment has been delineated well. Malalignment of the limb results in added stress on damaged articular cartilage and causes further loss of articular cartilage that subsequently exacerbates the limb malalignment. A downward spiral of progressive deformity and additional loss of articular cartilage occurs over time. Osteotomy can be used to realign the limb, reduce stress on the articular cartilage at risk and share the load with the opposite compartment of the knee. In appropriately selected patients osteotomy is a reliable operation to improve pain and function. Over the past two decades osteotomy has been viewed largely as a temporizing measure to buy time for patients before they ultimately have a total knee arthroplasty. In this role, osteotomy has largely been accepted as successful. Substantial improvements in pain and function have been documented and seem to hold up well over a 7 to 10 year period after the osteotomy. Medial opening wedge osteotomy has recently gained in popularity in the United States after a long period of use in Europe. Potential advantages of the medial opening wedge technique include the ability to easily adjust the degree of correction intraoperatively, the ability to correct deformities in the sagittal plane as well as the coronal plane, the need to make only one bone cut, and avoiding the tibiofibular joint. The downsides of the opening wedge technique include the need for bone graft to fill the created defect, a potentially higher rate of non-union or delayed union, and a longer period of restricted weight bearing after the procedure.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to compare the results and complications of tibial lengthening over an intramedullary nail with treatment using the traditional Ilizarov method.

Objectives

Healing in cancellous metaphyseal bone might be different from midshaft fracture healing due to different access to mesenchymal stem cells, and because metaphyseal bone often heals without a cartilaginous phase. Inflammation plays an important role in the healing of a shaft fracture, but if metaphyseal injury is different, it is important to clarify if the role of inflammation is also different. The biology of fracture healing is also influenced by the degree of mechanical stability. It is unclear if inflammation interacts with stability-related factors.