Management of Knee Cartilage Defects with the Autologous Matrix-Induced Chondrogenesis (AMIC) Technique

The arthroscopic findings of knee articular cartilage lesions are reported to be as high as 60%, although only a fragment of these are considered to be symptomatic. Such lesions are believed to accelerate the onset of arthritis. Long-term results of the microfracture technique for chondral and osteochondral defects of the knee cartilage are not satisfactory. The autologous matrix induced chondrogenesis (AMIC) technique offers a promising alternative as an effective cartilage repair procedure in the knee resulting in stable clinical results and with a wide range of indications. An extensive literature review has been performed aiming at providing the rationale behind AMIC, to report clinical results of AMIC and to compare AMIC with other chondrogenesis techniques. Finally, we comment on the appropriate surgical technique and its indications, since the number of one-step arthroscopic procedure proposals is steadily increasing

Single-Row Versus Double-Row Repair in Rotator Cuff Tears

Rotator cuff (RC) tear is a common cause of shoulder pain and disability among adults. Surgical management of RC tears is recommended after conservative treatment failure. Due to the development of arthroscopic repair techniques, the use of the arthroscopic rotator cuff repair has become the gold standard. Single-row (SR) and double-row (DR) suture anchor repairs are the two most popular and commonly used arthroscopic techniques. However, the optimal arthroscopic surgical technique remains controversial in terms of clinical and biomechanical outcomes, healing, and re-tear rates. This chapter will focus on differences between these two techniques regarding biomechanics, clinical results, healing rate, and cost effectiveness

Reconstruction nailing for ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures

The surgical management of ipsilateral fractures of the femoral neck and shaft presents a difficult and challenging problem for the orthopaedic surgeon. The purpose of the present study was to report the mid-term results and complications in a series of patients who sustained ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures and treated in our trauma department with a single reconstruction nail for both fractures. Eleven patients were included in the study with an average age of 46.4 years. The mean follow-up was 47 months (range, 15–75 months). There were no cases of a missed diagnosis at initial presentation. The mean time to union was 4.5 months for the neck fracture and 8.2 months for the shaft. There were no cases of avascular necrosis of the femoral head or non-union of the neck fracture. The mean Harris Hip Score was (85 ± 4.3). Complications included two cases of shaft fracture non-union and one case of peroneal nerve palsy. Heterotopic ossification at the tip of the greater trochanter was evident in two cases without causing any functional deficit. The current study suggests that reconstruction nailing produces satisfactory clinical and functional results in the mid-term. The complications involved only the femoral shaft fracture and were successfully treated with a single operative procedure

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia periprosthetic joint infection after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a well-known opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium causing mainly hospital-acquired infections, which rarely affects the musculoskeletal system. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of a periprosthetic infection caused by this pathogen in an artificial joint. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has the ability to form biofilm, and subsequently should not be excluded in the investigation of prosthetic joint infections. Management in the establishment of such an infection demands aggressive operative treatment in conjunction with the proper antibacterial administration

Postoperative Infection after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Prevention and Management

Infection following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction can be one of the most debilitating complications following ACL reconstruction. Its reported incidence is around 1%. Utilization of vancomycin for presoaking the graft is considered an established method for infection prevention. The role of other agents, such as gentamycin needs further investigation. Staphylococci are the predominant causative pathogens, while particular attention should be paid to fungal infections due to their long-standing, occult process. Recent data demonstrate that hamstrings autograft may be at an elevated risk of being contaminated leading to subsequent septic arthritis. Diagnosis is set by clinical and laboratory findings and is usually confirmed by intraoperative cultures. Treatment varies, mainly depending on the intraoperative assessment. Satisfactory outcomes have been reported with both graft retaining and removal, and the decision is made upon the arthroscopic appearance of the graft and the characteristics of the infection. Of note, early management seems to lead to superior results, while persistent infection should be managed with graft removal in an attempt to protect the articular cartilage and the knee function

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the Bio-TransFix femoral fixation device and anteromedial portal technique

The cross-pin femoral fixation technique for soft tissue grafts is a popular option in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. One of these devices is the Bio-TransFix (Arthrex Inc., Naples, FL, USA) which provides high fixation strength. According to the manufacturer, the femoral tunnel is created by placing the femoral aiming device through the tibial tunnel (transtibial technique). However, using this technique it is very difficult or even impossible to place the graft at the anatomical ACL attachment site at the "10 o'clock" position. In this report, we describe the use of the Bio-TransFix device with an anteromedial portal technique. Using this technique, the surgeon has more freedom to place the graft in an anatomical position, while combining the advantages of the excellent biomechanical properties of this device

Arthroscopic meniscal repair: a comparative study between three different surgical techniques

The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate and compare the results of arthroscopic meniscal repair using three different techniques. Between January 2002 and March 2004, 57 patients who met the inclusion criteria underwent an arthroscopic meniscal repair. The outside-in technique was used in 17 patients (group A), the inside-out in 20 patients (group B), while the rest of the 20 patients (group Q were managed by the all-inside technique using the Mitek RapidLoc soft tissue anchor (Mitek Surgical Products, Westwood, MA, USA). Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction was performed in 29 patients (51%). The criteria for clinical success included absence of joint line tenderness, locking, swelling, and a negative McMurray test. The minimum follow-up was one year for all groups. The mean follow-up was 23 months for group A, 22 months for group B, and 22 months for group C. All meniscal repairs were considered healed according to our criteria in group A, while 19 out of 20 repairs (95%) healed in group B. Finally 7 of 20 repairs (35%) were considered failures in group C and this difference was statistically significant in comparison with other groups. The time required for meniscal repair averaged 38.5 min for group A, 18.1 min for group B, and 13.6 min for group C. Operation time for meniscal repair in group A was statistically longer in comparison with other groups. There were no significant differences among the three groups concerning complications. According to our results, arhtroscopic meniscal repair with the inside-out technique seems to be superior in comparison with the other methods because it offers a high rate of meniscus healing without prolonged operation time