Congenital unilateral anterolateral tibial bowing in combination with a bifid ipsilateral great toe is a very rare deformity which resembles the anterolateral tibial bowing that occurs in association with congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia. However, spontaneous resolution of the deformity without operative treatment and with a continuously straight fibula has been described in all previously reported cases. We report three additional cases and discuss the options for treatment. We suggest that this is a specific entity within the field of anterolateral bowing of the tibia and conclude that it has a much better prognosis than congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia, although conservative treatment alone may not be sufficient.

The purpose of this study was to describe the anatomical distribution and incidence of fatigue injuries of the femur in physically-active young adults, based upon MRI studies. During a period of 70 months, 1857 patients with exercise-induced pain in the femur underwent MRI of the pelvis, hips, femora, and/or knees.

Of these, 170 patients had a total of 185 fatigue injuries, giving an incidence of 199 per 100 000 person-years. Bilateral injuries occurred in 9% of patients. The three most common sites affected were the femoral neck (50%), the condylar area (24%) and the proximal shaft (18%). A fatigue reaction was seen in 57%, and a fracture line in 22%. There was a statistical correlation between the severity of the fatigue injury and the duration of pain (p = 0.001). The location of the pain was normally at the site of the fatigue injury. Fatigue injuries of the femur appear to be relatively common in physically-active patients.

We examined osteochondral autografts, obtained at a mean of 19.5 months (3 to 48) following extracorporeal irradiation and re-implantation to replace bone defects after removal of tumours. The specimens were obtained from six patients (mean age 13.3 years (10 to 18)) and consisted of articular cartilage (five), subchondral bone (five), external callus (one) and tendon (one). The tumour cells in the grafts were eradicated by a single radiation dose of 60 Gy. In three cartilage specimens, viable chondrocytes were detected. The survival of chondrocytes was confirmed with S-100 protein staining. Three specimens from the subchondral region and a tendon displayed features of regeneration. Callus was seen at the junction between host and irradiated bone.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells were aspirated from immature male green fluorescent protein transgenic rats and cultured in a monolayer. Four weeks after the creation of the osteochondral defect, the rats were divided into three groups of 18: the control group, treated with an intra-articular injection of phosphate-buffered saline only; the drilling group, treated with an intra-articular injection of phosphate-buffered saline with a bone marrow-stimulating procedure; and the bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells group, treated with an intra-articular injection of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells plus a bone marrow-stimulating procedure. The rats were then killed at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after treatment and examined.

The histological scores were significantly better in the bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells group than in the control and drilling groups at all time points (p < 0.05). The fluorescence of the green fluorescent protein-positive cells could be observed in specimens four weeks after treatment.

Revision arthroplasty after infection can often be complicated by both extensive bone loss and a relatively high rate of re-infection. Using allograft to address the bone loss in such patients is controversial because of the perceived risk of bacterial infection from the use of avascular graft material. We describe 12 two-stage revisions for infection in which segmental allografts were loaded with antibiotics using iontophoresis, a technique using an electrical potential to drive ionised antibiotics into cortical bone.

Iontophoresis produced high levels of antibiotic in the allograft, which eluted into the surrounding tissues. We postulate that this offers protection from infection in the high-risk peri-operative period. None of the 12 patients who had two-stage revision with iontophoresed allografts had further infection after a mean period of 47 months (14 to 78).

The reduced stability of hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated implants in osteopenic conditions is considered to be a major problem. We therefore developed a model of a boosted cementless implantation in osteopenic rats.

Twelve-week-old rats were either ovariectomised (OVX) or sham-operated (SO), and after 24 weeks plain or HA-coated implants were inserted. They were treated with either a prostaglandin EP4 receptor agonist (ONO-4819) or saline for one month.

The EP4 agonist considerably improved the osteoporosis in the OVX group. Ultrastructural analysis and mechanical testing showed an improvement in the implant-bone attachment in the HA-coated implants, which was further enhanced by the EP4 agonist. Although the stability of the HA-coated implants in the saline-treated OVX rats was less than in the SO normal rats, the administration of the EP4 agonist significantly compensated for this shortage. Our results showed that the osteogenic effect of the EP4 agonist augmented the osteoconductivity of HA and significantly improved the stability of the implant-bone attachment in the osteoporotic rat model.

We performed a prospective, randomised controlled trial of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty comparing the performance of the Acrobot system with conventional surgery. A total of 27 patients (28 knees) awaiting unicompartmental knee arthroplasty were randomly allocated to have the operation performed conventionally or with the assistance of the Acrobot. The primary outcome measurement was the angle of tibiofemoral alignment in the coronal plane, measured by CT. Other secondary parameters were evaluated and are reported.

All of the Acrobot group had tibiofemoral alignment in the coronal plane within 2° of the planned position, while only 40% of the conventional group achieved this level of accuracy. While the operations took longer, no adverse effects were noted, and there was a trend towards improvement in performance with increasing accuracy based on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and American Knee Society scores at six weeks and three months. The Acrobot device allows the surgeon to reproduce a pre-operative plan more reliably than is possible using conventional techniques which may have clinical advantages.

Between July 2000 and April 2004, 19 patients with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy who required an assistive device to walk had combined lengthening-transfer of the medial hamstrings as part of multilevel surgery. A standardised physical examination, measurement of the Functional Mobility Scale score and video or instrumented gait analysis were performed pre- and post-operatively. Static parameters (popliteal angle, flexion deformity of the knee) and sagittal knee kinematic parameters (knee flexion at initial contact, minimum knee flexion during stance, mean knee flexion during stance) were recorded. The mean length of follow-up was 25 months (14 to 45).

Statistically significant improvements in static and dynamic outcome parameters were found, corresponding to improvements in gait and functional mobility as determined by the Functional Mobility Scale. Mild hyperextension of the knee during gait developed in two patients and was controlled by adjustment of their ankle-foot orthosis. Residual flexion deformity > 10° occurred in both knees of one patient and was treated by anterior distal femoral physeal stapling. Two children also showed an improvement of one level in the Gross Motor Function Classification System.

A total of 179 adult patients with displaced intra-articular fractures of the distal radius was randomised to receive indirect percutaneous reduction and external fixation (n = 88) or open reduction and internal fixation (n = 91). Patients were followed up for two years. During the first year the upper limb musculoskeletal function assessment score, the SF-36 bodily pain sub-scale score, the overall Jebsen score, pinch strength and grip strength improved significantly in all patients. There was no statistically significant difference in the radiological restoration of anatomical features or the range of movement between the groups.

During the period of two years, patients who underwent indirect reduction and percutaneous fixation had a more rapid return of function and a better functional outcome than those who underwent open reduction and internal fixation, provided that the intra-articular step and gap deformity were minimised.

We performed a prospective, randomised trial of 44 patients to compare the functional outcomes of a posterior-cruciate-ligament-retaining and posterior-cruciate-ligament-substituting total knee arthroplasty, and to gain a better understanding of the in vivo kinematic behaviour of both devices.

At follow-up at five years, no statistically significant differences were found in the clinical outcome measurements for either design. The prevalence of radiolucent lines and the survivorship were the same. In a subgroup of 15 knees, additional image-intensifier analysis in the horizontal and sagittal planes was performed during step-up and lunge activity. Our analysis revealed striking differences. Lunge activity showed a mean posterior displacement of both medial and lateral tibiofemoral contact areas (roll-back) which was greater and more consistent in the cruciate-substituting than in the cruciate-retaining group (medial p < 0.0001, lateral p = 0.011). The amount of posterior displacement could predict the maximum flexion which could be achieved (p = 0.018). Forward displacement of the tibiofemoral contact area in flexion during stair activity was seen more in the cruciate-retaining than in the cruciate-substituting group. This was attributed mainly to insufficiency of the posterior cruciate ligament and partially to that of the anterior cruciate ligament. We concluded that, despite similar clinical outcomes, there are significant kinematic differences between cruciate-retaining and cruciate-substituting arthroplasties.