Tagliero, Adam J.

Purpose To compare short‐term outcomes of intratunnel anchor fixation versus transtibial pull‐through repair for meniscus root tears with a minimum of 12‐month follow‐up. Methods Patients who underwent primary meniscus root repair between 2011 and 2024 at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria consisted of primary medial or lateral meniscus root repair using either intratunnel anchor fixation or transtibial pull‐through repair, availability of preoperative radiographs, and completion of postoperative patient‐reported outcome measures with a minimum of 12‐month follow‐up. The groups were propensity‐matched by age, sex, body mass index, operative side, root laterality, and concomitant procedures. Baseline radiographic characteristics (hip‐knee‐ankle angle and posterior tibial slope) were measured. Outcomes included Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee score, Tegner activity score (preoperative and postoperative), Visual Analog Scale for pain at rest and with activity, satisfaction, subjective surgical outcome, and reoperations. Results Fifty patients who underwent intratunnel anchor fixation (mean age, 44 years) were propensity‐matched to 100 patients who underwent transtibial pull‐through repair (mean age, 41 years). Mean follow‐up was 1.5 years (range, 1.0‐2.3) in the intratunnel anchor group and 6.1 years (range, 2.7‐13.7) in the transtibial pull‐through group. Reoperation rates were 8% and 14%, respectively ( P = .43), with repair failure occurring in 4% and 6% ( P > .99). Preoperative and postoperative Tegner scores were similar between groups. Tegner minimal clinical important difference was 0.8, and 26.5% of intratunnel anchor patients achieved this compared with 0% of transtibial pull‐through patients. Patients in the intratunnel anchor cohort reported slightly lower Visual Analog Scale pain with activity (1.8 vs 2.5, P = .02). Postoperative Lysholm (87 vs 83, P = .05) and International Knee Documentation Committee scores (79 vs 76, P = .09) were comparable between groups. A greater proportion of intratunnel anchor patients achieved Patient Acceptable Symptomatic State compared with transtibial pull‐through patients for Visual Analog Scale with activity (74% vs 56%, P = .03) and Lysholm (66% vs 47%, P = .01). Most patients in both cohorts rated their outcome as “much better” or “slightly better” ( P = .49), and satisfaction scores were high. Conclusions At short‐term follow‐up, both the intratunnel anchor and transtibial pull‐through techniques showed high patient satisfaction and comparable overall clinical outcomes. There were no differences in reoperation rates between techniques. Level of Evidence Level III, retrospective comparative case series.

Purpose To identify risk factors for medial meniscus posterior root tears (MMPRT) and arthroplasty‐free survival in postmenopausal women, while secondary objectives included analyzing menopause‐specific factors associated with MMPRT and defining risk factors for conversion to arthroplasty in patients with a confirmed MMPRT. Methods All patients at our institution with a diagnosed meniscal tear through December 2024 were identified. From this cohort, women with a menopausal diagnosis preceding their meniscal tear were matched one‐to‐one with men by age and body mass index. Imaging studies were reviewed to identify MMPRTs. Subsequent arthroplasty, Charlson Comorbidity Index, menopausal type (surgical or physiologic), hormone replacement therapy, bisphosphonate usage, and bone mineral density were recorded. Logistic and Cox regression were used to define risk factors for MMPRT and arthroplasty; survivorship was determined using Kaplan‐Meier analyses. Results The final cohort consisted of 1564 patients (n = 782 women) with a median age of 63 years, of which 244 patients (15.6%) had MMPRT. Age and female sex were associated with MMPRT. The presence of an MMPRT, female sex, body mass index, and Charlson Comorbidity Index were associated with arthroplasty. Among postmenopausal women, age at menopause, surgical menopause, hormone replacement therapy, and bone mineral density were associated with MMPRT. For patients with MMPRT, female sex was associated with arthroplasty. Ten‐year survivorship‐free from arthroplasty in patients with MMPRT was 53.5% for women and 78.4% for men ( P = .02). Conclusions Postmenopausal status, age, and hormone replacement therapy usage are risk factors for MMPRT. Compared with men, postmenopausal women with MMPRT exhibit reduced arthroplasty‐free survival, underscoring the need for targeted interventions. Level of Evidence Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Purpose To assess the reliability, predictability, and discriminative capacity of 3 anatomic measurements, tibial tubercle‐trochlear groove (TT‐TG), tibial tubercle‐posterior cruciate ligament, and patellar tendon‐lateral trochlear ridge (PT‐LTR), where PT‐LTR may offer a complementary approach to assessing recurrent patellofemoral instability (PFI) risk. Methods Patients diagnosed with PFI before primary patellofemoral stabilization surgery at a single institution between 2022 and 2024 were included. A control group without PFI was propensity matched 1:1 for age, sex, and laterality. Magnetic resonance images were evaluated to measure TT‐TG, tibial tubercle‐posterior cruciate ligament, and PT‐LTR. A priori power analysis determined the cohort size. Statistical analyses compared differences between the PFI and control groups with Student t‐tests, receiver operating characteristic analyses, and area under the curve with resultant sensitivity, specificity, and an optimal cutoff. Results Patients included 50 knees with PFI (28 women, 22 men; mean age 18 ± 5 years). The control group included 50 knees (27 women, 23 men; mean age 18 ± 4 years). Excellent inter‐ and intra‐rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.7) was shown for TT‐TG and PT‐LTR in the PFI and control groups. The distances for TT‐TG, tibial tubercle‐posterior cruciate ligament, and PT‐LTR were significant predictors ( P ≤ .025) of PFI. The average PT‐LTR distance difference for the PFI and control groups was 7.0 mm ( P < .001). PT‐LTR showed an area under the curve of 0.80 and, when ≥4.6 mm, was 66% sensitive and 92% specific for PFI. Conclusions The PT‐LTR distance is a reliable and discriminative metric for identifying PFI in both pediatric and adult populations. A PT‐LTR cutoff value of 4.6 mm showed diagnostic discrimination and substantially high specificity for recurrent PFI, indicating strong ability to identify patients with instability. Level of Evidence Level III, retrospective case control study.

Abstract Medial meniscus posterior root repair improves symptoms and function, but repair alone does not normalize gait. In the referenced study, patients who underwent repair achieved an acceptable symptom state more often than those with an unrepaired tear (71.4%‐81.0% vs 10.5%‐26.3%). Gait mechanics moved toward normal but did not reach it: compared with controls, the tear group differed significantly in midstance knee extension and terminal‐stance knee adduction moment, with the repair group falling at an intermediate level. Varus thrust and reduced internal rotation persisted in both groups despite only modest differences in static mechanical alignment. This underscores that dynamic gait assessment, not a static radiograph, is beneficial to fully assess the effect of root repair. Restoration of full extension and objectively confirmed quadriceps recovery may be essential to closing this gap and to long‐term chondroprotection. This raises a rehabilitation paradox: prolonged protection safeguards healing but may potentiate quadriceps inhibition and persistent gait dysfunction. Earlier controlled weightbearing, potentially supported by meniscal centralization with multiple fixation points, warrants a prospective study. Root preservation should extend beyond fixation alone to include gait restoration, extrusion control, and long‐term joint protection.

Purpose To evaluate implantation rates, time to implantation, and predictors of implantation following matrix‐induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) biopsy for knee chondral defects. Methods Patients undergoing MACI biopsy or implantation for symptomatic knee chondral defects from 2017 to 2024 at a single institution were reviewed. At a minimum 1‐year follow‐up, the decision to proceed with implantation, recurrent symptoms, complications, and reoperations were assessed. Kaplan‐Meier analysis estimated time to implantation, and multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of MACI implantation. Results A total of 208 knees in 202 patients (mean age 28.0 ± 10.9 years, range 11‐59) underwent MACI biopsy for 243 chondral defects (patella [38%], femoral condyle [34%], and trochlea [26%]). At a mean follow‐up of 4.3 years (range 1.0‐8.3), 64 knees (31%) proceeded to second‐stage MACI implantation. Among 144 knees not implanted, 87 (60%) reported symptom improvement, and 26 (18%) had persistent symptoms. The remaining 22% did not undergo implantation due to another cartilage procedure, insurance denial, or pending scheduling. Patients who underwent biopsy at the home institution had a shorter time from biopsy to implantation compared with those biopsied at outside institutions (6.1 vs 13.1 months, P = .001). Median time to implantation was 9.4 months (95% confidence level: 7.2‐12.2) for home biopsies. Lower body mass index was associated with progression to implantation after adjusting for covariates (odds ratios 0.92, P = .019). Patients implanted within 4 months had larger chondral defects (4.0 vs 3.0 cm 2 , P = .045). At a mean 4.1‐year follow‐up, 6 patients (8%) experienced postoperative complications, including 3 (4%) who required revision chondroplasty. Conclusions MACI biopsy for knee chondral defects resulted in approximately one‐third of patients proceeding to MACI implantation, at a median of 9.4 months after biopsy. Lower body mass index was associated with higher likelihood of progression to implantation, larger chondral defects with earlier implantation, and among patients who did not proceed to implantation, approximately 60% reported symptom improvement following concomitant chondroplasty at the time of biopsy. Level of Evidence Level IV, retrospective case series.

Abstract To report clinical and functional outcomes, including patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), complications, reoperation rates, and arthritic progression in patients who sustained a knee dislocation (KD) type V fracture dislocation at minimum 2-year follow-up. A retrospective review from a prospectively collected database was performed to identify all patients with a KD type V fracture dislocation between 2001 and 2022 at a single institution. Patient demographics, pre- and postoperative clinical examination findings, intraoperative details, and postoperative complication rates were obtained from medical records. PROMs, including Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Tegner Activity Scale, Lysholm score, and International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective (IKDC) score were analyzed. A total of 11 patients (mean age: 33.9 ± 7.6, mean BMI: 33.5 ± 6.4 kg/m2) were included with a mean follow-up of 6.4 ± 5.4 years. Seven patients (64%) had a tibial plateau fracture involving the weight-bearing surface. Four patients (36%) had a concomitant nerve injury, one patient (9%) had a concomitant vascular injury, three patients (27%) had a concomitant cartilage injury (ICRS grade 3 + ), and seven patients (64%) had a concomitant meniscus injury. In all, 10 patients (82%) underwent fracture fixation. The mean postoperative Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade was 3.0 ± 1.0. Postoperative PROMs included VAS at rest of 2.0 ± 2.3, VAS with activity of 3.3 ± 3.2, IKDC of 68.3 ± 22.1, Lysholm of 79.0 ± 23.6, and Tegner of 4.3 ± 1.7. Nine patients (83%) experienced a complication, with four (36%) patients requiring a subsequent reoperation. Patients with a KD V fracture dislocation who underwent surgical management demonstrated high complication and reoperation rates with advanced radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis but ultimately satisfactory functional outcomes at mid-term follow-up. These findings underscore the complexity of KD V injuries and the importance of early recognition, multidisciplinary surgical planning, and patient counseling regarding the prolonged recovery and likelihood of residual symptoms. Level of evidence is IV—retrospective case series.

Background: Increased posterior tibial slope (PTS) and anterior tibial translation (ATT) result in a higher risk of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction failure. Accurate measurement of PTS and ATT is essential to guide surgical planning in these patients. Full-length weightbearing lateral tibial radiographs yield the most accurate measurement of PTS and ATT compared with short-film tibial radiographs, computed tomography scans, and magnetic resonance imaging. Indications: We aim to demonstrate a validated, reproducible technique in a stepwise fashion to accurately measure PTS and ATT using full-length weightbearing lateral tibial radiographs. This presentation adds to the field by offering a precise measurement technique for surgical planning purposes. Technique Description: To precisely measure PTS using a full-length weightbearing lateral tibial radiograph, first, perpendicular lines are drawn 5 cm proximal to the ankle joint and 5 cm distal to the knee joint. A line is then extended proximally from the center of the perpendicular line near the ankle through the center of the perpendicular line near the knee, and then extended up to the tibial articular surface. Next, a line is drawn along the medial tibial plateau. The angle measured between these 2 lines is subtracted from 90° to yield the PTS. To precisely measure ATT, a line is drawn along the diaphysis of the tibia and approximated to the posterior aspect of the proximal tibia. Then, another parallel line is drawn and approximated to the posterior aspect of the distal femur. The distance between these lines is measured to yield anterior tibial translation. Results: We measured a PTS of 14.2° and an ATT of 12.6 mm using the technique described in this presentation. Discussion/Conclusion: This technique demonstrates an accurate and reproducible method to precisely measure PTS and ATT using full-length weightbearing lateral tibial radiographs. This technique yields greater accuracy in PTS and ATT than other imaging modalities. As a result, there is a direct benefit for surgical planning when using this technique. Patient Consent Disclosure Statement: The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form of approval from the patient(s) with this submission for publication.

Background: The origin of arthrofibrosis of the knee is multifactorial; however, it is more commonly seen in patients with arthritis, prolonged immobility, or a history of trauma or surgery to the knee. Arthrofibrosis that results in a flexion contracture of the knee is commonly attributable to scarring and shortening of the posterior joint capsule as seen in the setting of operative intervention, such as anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Indications: Arthroscopic posterior capsular releases of the knee are indicated in patients with recalcitrant arthrofibrosis who have (1) failed nonoperative management and (2) a flexion contracture of ≥10°. Technique Description: This arthroscopic technique utilizes posteromedial and posterolateral portals in addition to the standard anteromedial and anterolateral portals. A transpatellar tendon portal may also be used to create the posterolateral portal. Both a 30° and a 70° arthroscope are used to better visualize the posteromedial and posterolateral inferior and superior releases. In addition to releases of the capsule both inferiorly and posteriorly, the medial and lateral gastrocnemius tendons can be partially released from the femur to allow for a more adequate release. The 70° arthroscope is necessary to access the capsule posterior to the posterior cruciate ligament to ensure complete release. Results: This procedure is typically reserved for patients who have failed conservative management with extension splinting, physical therapy, and the use of corticosteroids. Persistent arthrofibrosis with flexion contracture can occur after ACLR, with an incidence as high as 38% in some series. The specific technique described in this video has documented patient-reported outcomes of achieving full extension in >90% of patients after an arthroscopic posterior capsular release at final follow-up. Discussion/Conclusion: Recalcitrant arthrofibrosis leading to a persisting extension deficit can be devastating for a patient, as it results in increased pain and stiffness, as well as a significant decrease in functionality. Performing a posterior capsular release in addition to the standard manipulation under anesthesia and lysis of adhesions/synovectomy will allow for greater knee range of motion, particularly greater knee extension. Patient Consent Disclosure Statement: The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form of approval from the patient(s) with this submission for publication.

Abstract Anterior and posterior cruciate ligament (ACL and PCL) reconstruction poses the risk of residual anterior or posterior tibial translation, respectively. As a result, patients may have residual knee instability and laxity, which can contribute to poor outcomes and graft failure. Ultimately, minimizing anterior and posterior tibial translation through proper ACL and PCL graft tensioning has the potential to improve clinical and functional outcomes in the setting of ACL and PCL reconstruction surgery. This technique aims to show a reproducible method for “setting” anterior and posterior tibial translation in the setting of ACL and PCL reconstructions.

Background: Despite the growing clinical relevance of obesity in the context of multiligament knee injuries, there remains a paucity of data evaluating patient-reported outcomes in this population. Purpose: To compare clinical and functional outcomes, including postoperative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and complication/revision rates, of multiligament knee reconstruction (MLKR) in individuals with a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m 2 versus <30 kg/m 2 at a minimum 2-year follow-up. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A retrospective review was performed to identify all patients who underwent MLKR between 2001 and 2022 at a single institution. Patients with a BMI >30 kg/m 2 were propensity-matched to patients with a BMI <30 kg/m 2 on a 1:1 basis by age, sex, laterality, and Schenck classification (knee dislocation). Medical records were reviewed for patient characteristics, time to surgery, year of surgery, number and type of ligament interventions, graft choice, single versus staged reconstruction, and concomitant injuries. Postoperative clinical examination findings and PROMs for each cohort, including visual analog scale score, Tegner activity scale score, Lysholm score, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score, were analyzed and compared. Postoperative complication and revision rates were evaluated and compared. Results: Of 158 patients, 79 patients with a BMI <30 kg/m 2 (mean age, 31.0 ± 11.5 years; mean BMI, 25.8 ± 3.0 kg/m 2 ) were matched to 79 patients with a BMI >30 kg/m 2 (mean age, 32.8 ± 9.5 years; mean BMI, 37.1 ± 5.8 kg/m 2 ). There were no significant differences between cohorts regarding age, sex, laterality, and Schenck classification ( P ≥ .100); however, patients in the BMI >30 kg/m 2 group had greater numbers of posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. The mean follow-up was 7.5 ± 4.8 years for the BMI <30 kg/m 2 cohort and 7.2 ± 4.8 years for the BMI >30 kg/m 2 cohort ( P = .229). Patients with a lower BMI (<30 kg/m 2 ) had significantly better postoperative mean IKDC (79.3 ± 18.7 vs 67.9 ± 21.2; P = .004), Lysholm (85.1 ± 17.1 vs 75.7 ± 21.0; P = .007), and Tegner (5.1 ± 2.0 vs 4.4 ± 1.7; P = .041) scores. The BMI >30 kg/m 2 group also had significantly more postoperative complications ( P = .028). However, there was no significant difference between the 2 cohorts in terms of reoperation rate or conversion to total knee arthroplasty ( P ≥ .189). Conclusion: Patients who undergo MLKR and have a BMI >30 kg/m 2 demonstrate significantly decreased postoperative PROMs when compared to patients with a BMI <30 kg/m 2 . Increasing BMI significantly increased the incidence of complication rates after MLKR.