Citations

AbstractCartilage defects in the knee are common resulting in significant pain and morbidity over time. These defects can arise in isolation or concurrently with other associated injuries to the knee. The treatment of small (< 2–3 cm2) cartilage deficiencies has changed as our basic science knowledge of tissue healing has improved. Advancements have led to the development of new and more effective treatment modalities. It is important to address any associated knee injuries and limb malalignment. Surgical options are considered when nonoperative treatment fails. The specific procedure depends on individual patient characteristics, lesion size, and location. Debridement/chondroplasty, microfracture, marrow stimulation plus techniques, fixation of unstable osteochondral fragments, osteochondral autograft transfer, and osteochondral allograft transplantation, all have roles in the treatment of small cartilage defects.

AbstractPurposeThere is limited data comparing the outcomes of knee arthroplasty for arthritis secondary to meniscus root tear versus primary osteoarthritis. The aim of this 2:1 matched case control series was to compare outcomes in patients who underwent arthroplasty for arthritis following a meniscus root tear (root tear cohort—“RTC”) with a control group of patients with primary osteoarthritis (primary osteoarthritis—“controls”). The authors hypothesized that the meniscus root tear patients would have similar clinical outcomes, return to activity, complication and reoperation rates as their matched controls.MethodsA consecutive series of patients who had a clinically and radiographically confirmed meniscus root tear between 2002 and 2017 at a mean 4.8 year follow‐up that developed secondary arthritis were matched 2:1 by laterality, surgery, age at surgery, date of surgery, sex, and surgeon to a control group of patients with primary osteoarthritis, without a root tear, who underwent arthroplasty. No patients were lost to follow‐up. Patient demographics, Kellgren–Lawrence grades at the time of surgery, pre‐ and post‐operative Knee Society Score pain and function scores, Tegner score, complications, and survival free of reoperation were analyzed between groups.ResultsA total of 225 subjects were identified, including 75 root tear cohort patients (13 UKA, 62 TKA) and 150 control patients. The root tear cohort had significantly lower Kellgren–Lawrence grades than the control group at the time of arthroplasty (p ≤ 0.001), but similar baseline pre‐operative Knee Society Score pain, Knee Society Score function, and Tegner activity scale score. Post‐operatively, Knee Society Score pain scores were comparable, and root tear cohort Knee Society Score function scores statistically significantly improved (p ≤ 0.007). Complication rates and survival free of reoperation at final follow‐up were not statistically significantly different between groups.ConclusionPatients treated with arthroplasty for secondary arthritis after a meniscus root tear demonstrated less severe radiographic arthritis, but similar pre‐operative pain levels compared to matched controls with primary osteoarthritis. The root tear cohort patients demonstrated improved outcomes with respect to function, and similar outcomes with respect to pain, activity level, complication rates, and reoperation rates. The authors conclude that arthroplasty can be a reliable option for selected patients with an irreparable root tear and ongoing pain and dysfunction refractory to non‐operative management, even in the setting of less advanced osteoarthritis on X‐ray.Level of evidenceIII.

Abstract Proximal humerus lesser tuberosity avulsions are uncommon injuries; however, when present, they can be debilitating for patients. As such, they pose a unique clinical challenge. These fractures were traditionally treated through an open approach to the proximal humerus; however, arthroscopic techniques continue to evolve and are increasingly used for these types of injuries. We describe our minimally invasive arthroscopic technique to repair lesser tuberosity avulsions using standard arthroscopic equipment. This method is safe, efficient, and applies basic shoulder arthroscopic techniques. Technique Video video See video under supplementary data.

Objectives: There remains a paucity of data describing the efficacy of non-operative treatment following an index anterior instability event. The purpose of this study was to describe the long-term outcomes of non-operative treatment following index anterior instability event, define the success rate of initial non-operative treatment for anterior shoulder instability, and describe factors that predict conversion to surgery after initial non-operative management to help guide surgical decision making in these patients. Methods: An established geographic database was utilized to identify patients under the age of 40 treated for anterior shoulder instability between 1994 and 2016. Patient demographics, comorbidities, injury characteristics, instability history, activity level, x-rays, advanced imaging, treatment course, and outcomes were evaluated. Patients treated non-operatively for the first 6 months following index instability event were analyzed to determine long-term outcomes, success rate of continued non-operative treatment, and factors associated with conversion to surgery. Results: 739 patients met criteria with an average follow-up of 190 months (range 0.13 to 490 months). Average age was 23.8, mean BMI was 25.6, 9.1% had a history of hyperlaxity, and 83.9% of instability events were due to trauma. 29.7% of patients had a Hill-Sachs lesion on index x-ray, and 6.3% had a bony Bankart. 198 shoulders went on to operative treatment (26.8%) with a mean time to surgery of 62.7 months following initial instability event. At final follow-up, 24.0% reported mild pain, 6.2% as moderate, 0.2% as severe. 13.8% of patients had evidence of glenohumeral arthritis on final follow-up x-rays compared to 1.6% on initial radiographs. Factors associated with conversion to surgery included 2 or more dislocations prior to first clinical evaluation (OR=1.75, p<0.001), labor intense occupation (OR=1.49, p=0.031), Hill Sachs lesion on index x-ray (OR=1.31, p=0.034), and MRI findings including: anteroinferior labral tear (OR=2.15, p<0.001), posteroinferior labral tear (OR=1.38, p=0.049), SLAP tear (OR=1.29, p=0.054), Hill-Sachs lesion (OR=1.85, p<0.001), and glenohumeral cartilage injury (OR=1.26, p=0.041). Conclusion: The majority of patients less than 40 can be definitively treated non-operatively after an initial 6 month episode of non-operative treatment. A small proportion will report pain over the long-term and/or develop glenohumeral arthritis. Multiple factors upon initial evaluation were associated with future conversion to surgery including: increasing number of prior instability events, occupation, and degree of soft tissue injury on MRI.

Objectives: The rate of osteoarthritis (OA) in patients with anterior shoulder instability (ASI) varies within the literature, with the majority of studies investigating rates after surgical stabilization. ASI appears to lead to increased rates of OA, although risk factors for developing OA in non-operative and operative cohorts are not well defined. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of clinically symptomatic OA and identify potential risk factors for the development of OA following ASI in a U.S. geographic population of patients under the age of 40. Methods: An established geographic database was used to identify patients less than 40 years old diagnosed with anterior should instability between 1994 and 2016. Patient information, including demographics, imaging and surgical details, was collected and comparative analysis was performed between groups with and without OA at final follow-up, as well as patients who underwent surgical and non-surgical management. Results: The study population consisted of 154 patients with a mean follow-up of 15.2 years (range 5.1-29.8). Overall, 22.7% of patients developed clinically symptomatic glenohumeral OA. Twenty-eight percent of patients who underwent at least 1 surgical intervention and 17% of patients who underwent non-operative management of anterior shoulder instability developed glenohumeral OA (p=0.176). Patients who developed arthritis were older at initial instability event (p=0.002) and had higher BMI (p=0.007). Additionally, patients with OA were more likely to be current or former smokers (p=0.004), have a seizure disorder (p=0.033), and be manual laborers (p=0.044). Risk factors for developing OA included seizure disorders (RR 2.61, 95 % CI 1.34-5.07), cartilage injury on initial MRI (RR 2.48, (1.00-6.13), current or former smoker (RR 2.46, 95% CI 1.37-4.42), laborer occupation (RR 2.14, 95% CI 1.14-4.01), and age at initial instability event (OR 1.09 per year, 95% 1.03-1.17). Athletes (RR 0.51, 95% CI 1.08-3.54), specifically contact athletes at the time of initial instability (RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.21-0.97), were less likely to develop OA. There was no difference in the number of dislocations or number of instability events in patients with and without symptomatic osteoarthritis. Conclusions: In a U.S. geographic population of patients less than 40 years old with ASI, approximately one-fourth of patients developed symptomatic OA at a mean follow-up of 15 years from their first instability event. When accounting for differences in patient demographics, there was no significant difference in the rates of OA in patients who underwent surgical and non-surgical management. Overall, there was an increased risk for the development of OA in patients with seizure disorders, cartilage injury on initial MRI, current or former smokers, laborer occupation and increased age at the initial instability event.

Objectives: Meniscal root disruption results in a loss of hoop strain resistance, increased articular cartilage contact pressure, and acceleration of degenerative changes. There is limited data comparing the outcomes of similarly matched patients with a medial meniscus posterior root tear treated with non-operative management, partial meniscectomy, or repair. The purpose of this study is to compare treatment failure, clinical outcome scores, and radiographic findings for a matched cohort of patients who underwent either non-operative management, partial meniscectomy, or transtibial pull-through repair for a medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT). Our hypothesis is that patients who underwent meniscus root repair will have lower rates of progression to arthroplasty than patients who were treated with non-operative management or partial meniscectomy. Methods: Patients who underwent transtibial medial meniscus posterior horn root repair were matched by meniscus laterality, age, sex and K-L grades to patients treated non-operatively or with a partial meniscectomy. Progression to arthroplasty rates, IKDC and Tegner scores, and radiographic outcomes were analyzed between groups. Results: Forty-five patients were included in this study (15 non-operative, 15 partial meniscectomy, 15 root repair). Progression to arthroplasty demonstrated significant differences among treatment groups at a mean 74 months (non-operative 4/15, partial meniscectomy 9/15, meniscus repair 0/15, p=.0003). The meniscus root repair group had significantly less arthritic progression, as measured by change in K-L grade from pre-op to post-op (non-operative 1.0, partial mensicectomy 1.1, and meniscus repair 0.1, p=.001). Conclusion: Meniscus root repair leads to significantly less arthritis progression and subsequent knee arthroplasty compared to non-operative management and partial meniscectomy in a demographically matched cohort.

Background: Donor site morbidity after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with a bone–patellar tendon–bone (BTB) autograft is clinically significant, but evidence with contemporary techniques is lacking. Purpose: To (1) evaluate donor site morbidity at a single institution using modern techniques of BTB autograft harvest at 2-year follow-up, (2) develop a 10-question donor site morbidity instrument, and (3) compare this instrument against traditional outcome tools. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: We analyzed the 2-year follow-up outcomes of 200 consecutive patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with a BTB autograft performed by 2 surgeons at a single institution. The surgical technique utilized modern and consistent BTB autograft harvest, including graft sizing, patellar tendon and peritenon closure, and patellar and tibial donor site bone grafting. There were 187 patients included, with 13 patients undergoing revision ACL reconstruction excluded. An original 10-question scoring instrument evaluating donor site morbidity was administered to each patient (score, 0-100) and compared against each patient’s International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Lysholm scores. Results: Overall, 13.9% of patients were noted to have anterior knee pain with activity at 2-year follow-up. Moreover, 3.7% of patients reported an inability to kneel on hard surfaces but had no problems on soft surfaces; 5.9% of patients reported mild discomfort but were able to kneel on all surfaces. Additionally, 75.4% of patients had a perfect (100/100) donor site morbidity score. The mean donor site morbidity score at 2-year follow-up was 98.3 ± 3.4. There was a very strong correlation between the IKDC and Lysholm scores but only a strong and moderate correlation when the donor site morbidity score was compared with the IKDC and Lysholm scores, respectively. Conclusion: Donor site morbidity after ACL reconstruction with a BTB autograft was less frequent than reported in the existing literature. Some patients developed anterior knee pain; therefore, an informed discussion is advised. IKDC and Lysholm scores may not capture donor site symptoms after surgery. The 10-question donor site morbidity instrument may provide a more accurate assessment.

AbstractPurposeTo compare rates of recurrent instability, revision surgery and functional outcomes following arthroscopic anterior capsulolabral repair for recurrent anterior instability using knot‐tying versus knotless suture anchor techniques.MethodsPatients who had undergone arthroscopic anterior labrum and capsular repair for recurrent anterior glenohumeral instability using knotless anchors were identified. Those with minimum 2‐year follow‐up were matched (1:2) to knot‐tying anchor repair patients. Rates of failure and recurrent instability were compared, as well as Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and Rowe scores.ResultsOne hundred and two patients (89 males, 13 females) with a mean age of 24.3 ± 9.6 were included. Repair was performed with knotless anchors in 34 and knot‐tying anchors in 68 shoulders. At mean follow‐up of 4.8 ± 2.5 years, re‐dislocation rates between groups were not significantly different (knotless anchor: 9% versus knot‐tying group: 15%, n.s.), but the knot‐tying group showed a higher re‐subluxation rate (p = 0.039). 12 (18%) revisions were performed in the knot‐tying group at a mean 2.9 years after surgery and 1 (3%) revision in the knotless anchors group at 1.4 years (n.s.). There was no difference in mean VAS with use (1.3 ± 1.9 versus 0.8 ± 1.5, n.s.), SANE scores (91.8 ± 12.7 versus 92.0 ± 11.0, n.s.), QuickDASH scores (4.1 ± 5.5 versus 3.0 ± 6.5, n.s.), UCLA Shoulder Score (32.5 ± 3.6 versus 33.2 ± 3.1, n.s.), or Rowe scores (90.5 ± 18.5 versus 92.2 ± 16.6, n.s.) between knotless and knot‐tying groups, respectively. VAS at rest was higher in the knotless group (0.7 ± 1.5 vs 0.1 ± 0.4, p = 0.021).ConclusionsKnotless anchors demonstrated similar rates of re‐dislocation and revision surgery, and lower rates of recurrent subluxation, compared to knot‐tying anchors. Patients achieved good‐to‐excellent functional outcomes. This supports the efficacy of knotless anchors as an alternative to knot‐tying anchors for arthroscopic anterior labral repair of recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation.Level of evidenceIII.

Purpose To better understand the relative increases in rotator cuff charges and to analyze national and regional trends between hospital, anesthesiologist, and surgeon charges and reimbursements for contemporary rotator cuff repairs (RCRs) performed in the United States. Methods A representative Medicare sample was used to capture hospital, surgeon, and anesthesiologist charges and payments for outpatient RCR from 2005 to 2014. The charges and reimbursements were calculated using Current Procedural Terminology codes. Two ratios were calculated to compare surgeon and hospital charges and reimbursements. The charge multiplier (CM) is the ratio of hospital to surgeon charges, and the payment multiplier (PM) is the ratio of hospital to surgeon reimbursements. Trends were evaluated using national and regional charges, reimbursements, Charlson Comorbidity Index, CM, and PM. Results In total, 12,617 patients were included in this study. Between 2005 and 2014, hospital charges for RCR significantly increased from $4877 to $11,488 (136% increase; P < .0001), anesthesiologist charges increased from $1319 to $2169 (64% increase; P < .0001), and surgeon charges increased from $7528 to $9979 (33% increase; P < .0001). Reimbursements during the same period significantly increased from $3007 to $6696 (123% increase; P < .0001) for hospitals, from $203 to $239 (17% increase; P = .005) for anesthesiologists. Reimbursements for surgeons remained relatively unchanged (from $1821 to $1885, 3% increase; P = .116). Increases in national CM ( P = .003) and PM ( P < .0001) were both statistically significant. Charlson Comorbidity Index did not change significantly over the period ( P = .1178). Conclusions Although outpatient RCR charges increased significantly for hospitals, surgeons, and anesthesiologists, hospital reimbursements increased substantially relative to surgeon and anesthesiologist reimbursements despite stable patient complexity. In 2005, hospitals were reimbursed 65% more than surgeons. By 2014, hospitals were reimbursed 255% more than surgeons, indicating that hospitals disproportionally drove increases in charges and reimbursements over this period. Level of Evidence Level IV, economic analysis

Background: Spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee has recently been termed subchondral insufficiency fracture of the knee (SIFK) to appropriately recognize the etiology of mechanical overloading of the subchondral bone. The purpose of this study was to assess clinical outcomes of SIFK based on progression to surgical treatment and arthroplasty, and to evaluate the risk factors that increase the progression to arthroplasty. Methods: A retrospective review was performed on patients with a diagnosis of SIFK, as confirmed with use of magnetic resonance images (MRIs). Baseline and final radiographs were reviewed. Baseline MRIs were also reviewed for injury characteristics. Failure was defined as progression to surgical treatment or conversion to arthroplasty. Results: Two hundred twenty-three patients (71% female) with a mean age of 65.1 years were included. SIFK affected 154 femora (69%) and 123 tibiae (55%), with medial compartment involvement in 198 knees (89%); 74% of medial menisci had root or radial tears, with a mean extrusion of 3.6 mm. Varus malalignment was identified in 54 (69%) of 78 knees. Seventy-six (34%) of all patients progressed to surgical intervention at 2.7 years, and 66 (30%) underwent arthroplasty at 3.0 years. The rates of conversion to surgical intervention and arthroplasty increased to 47% (37 of 79; p = 0.04) and 37% (29 of 79; p = 0.09), respectively, in patients with >5 years of follow-up. The 10-year survival rate free of arthroplasty for patients with SIFK on the medial femoral condyle (p < 0.01), SIFK on the medial tibial plateau (p < 0.01), medial meniscal extrusion (p = 0.01), varus alignment (p = 0.02), and older age (per year older; p = 0.003) was significantly higher than the survival rates of those without each respective condition. Conclusions: Subchondral insufficiency fractures predominantly involve the medial compartment of the knee and commonly present with medial meniscal root and radial tears. Approximately one-third of patients progressed to total knee arthroplasty. Baseline arthritis, older age, location of the insufficiency fracture on both the medial femoral condyle and medial tibial plateau, meniscal extrusion, and varus malalignment were all associated with progression to arthroplasty. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level IV . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.