Over the top or endobutton for ACL reconstruction?

There are an estimated 80-100,000 ACL repairs in the US each year: most ACL tears occurs from noncontact injuries. The 3.9% of the knee ligament injuries undergoes surgery: in the 80% of these patients, this means ACL reconstruction. The purpose of this study is to compare two surgical techniques normally used for acl recustruction; the first one is the intra- extra articular technique with single bundle fixed with staples and the second one is the intra-articular technique with double bundle and endobutton post-fixation. We evaluate the clinical outcome of our patients at the time of 4 years follow up. From January 2006 to April 2009 40 patients underwent to ACL reconstruction, all operated by using hamstring tendons: 20 patients with an average age of 28,75 years (12 men and 8 women) underwent surgery using the intra-extra articular technique, whereas the remaining 20 patients with an average age of 34,5 years (11 men and 9 women) benefited the intra-articular technique with double bundle ligament and endobutton post-fixation. Our study shows no substancial difference between these two technique, but clinical outcome measures (I.K.D.C., Lysholm and Tegner) estimated better results for the double bundle technique with Endobutton post-fixation. © Mattioli 1885

Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Tear Transosseous Repair System: The Sharc-FT Using the Taylor Stitcher

Transosseous rotator cuff tear repair was first described in 1944. Over the years, it has represented the gold standard for such lesions. Through open and mini-open approaches, as well as the arthroscopic approach, the transosseous repair system represents one of the most reliable surgical techniques from a biological and mechanical perspective. Nevertheless, further improvements are required. This article describes an arthroscopic rotator cuff tear transosseous repair system, developed in collaboration with NCS Lab (Carpi, Italy): the Sharc-FT using the Taylor Stitcher. Our first experience in the clinical application of the arthroscopic technique using the transosseous suture system has shown encouraging clinical outcomes, confirming its efficacy. The patient satisfaction rate was high, and no patient expressed concern about the implant. The complication rate was very low. By improving the suture technique in the treatment of rotator cuff tears, a remarkable increase in the success rate in the treatment of this pathology could be reached; nevertheless, complications such as retears of the rotator cuff still occur

Arthroscopic Absorbable Suture Fixation for Tibial Spine Fractures

The purpose of this technical note and accompanying video is to describe a modified arthroscopic suture fixation technique to treat tibial spine avulsion fractures. Twenty-one patients underwent arthroscopic treatment for tibial spine avulsion with our technique; they were clinically and biomechanically evaluated at 2 years' follow-up and showed optimal clinical and radiographic outcomes. Repair with this arthroscopic technique provides a significant advantage in the treatment of type III and IV fractures of the tibial eminence by obtaining arthroscopic fixation within the substance of the anterior cruciate ligament: suture methods based on the avulsed bone fragment are technically impossible, but sutures through the base of the ligament itself provide secure fixation, reducing the risks of comminution of the fracture fragment and eliminating the time for hardware removal. This arthroscopic technique restores the length and the integrity of the anterior cruciate ligament and provides a simplified, reproducible method of treating patients, including young patients, with low hardware costs in comparison to sutures using anchors or other hardware

Salter-harris type II proximal humerus injuries: State-of-the-art treatment

Proximal epiphyseal injuries of the humerus represent a very low percentage of traumatic growth pathologies, 5 % of all fractures during childhood. In the literature, there have been only a limited number of clinical studies investigating these injuries, basically from an epidemiological point of view, focusing on the incidence of the different types of fractures. We report our experience of 6 young patients with Salter-Harris type II proximal humerus epiphyseal injuries adopting a minimally invasive surgical technique consisting of closed reduction and percutaneous fixation with Kirschner wires. At 2 years of follow-up, the results consisting in constant; disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand; simple shoulder test; and Visual Analogue Scale scores obtained have been excellent and all the patients come back to a normal life with sports practice and normal daily activities. The range of motion was completely restored without any deficit in abduction-adduction, flection-extension, or intra-extra rotation. No differences in anthropometric parameters were found with no case of malangulation, vascular, or neurological complications. Our data support with evidence how the close reduction internal fixation with K-wires treatment can give to the surgeons and the patients a better security about the correct fracture healing. Furthermore, with this article, we will provide a detailed review of the literature in order to define the state-of-the-art treatment to better face such a challenging skeletal injury. \ua9 Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli 2012