Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in athletes with an ossicle associated with Osgood-Schlatter's disease

We report a series of 20 athletes with an ossicle associated with Osgood-Schlatter's disease (OSD) who underwent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using autogenous, central-10-mm patellar-tendon graft. All patients had an Osgood-Schlatter's lesion with an ossicle as seen on a plain radiograph. The patients were reviewed at an average follow-up of 44 months (range, 24 to 108 months). The postoperative assessment included clinical examination, KT-1000 testing, isokinetic testing, and subjective score (using the modified Noyes' questionnaire). At the time of latest review, all 20 patients had a stable knee. The average side-to-side difference on manual maximum KT-1000 assessment was 1.9 mm (range, 0 to 5 mm). Average time to return to full sporting activities was 5.2 months (range, 2.6 to 8.9 months). All patients returned to their previous level of activity. The mean modified Noyes' knee score was 96 (range, 89 to 100). To date, no graft failure has occurred. Based on the results of this study, we believe that ACL reconstruction using the autogenous bone-patellar tendon-bone graft can be safely undertaken in athletes with an ossicle associated with OSD without compromising the final knee function.     

Arthroscopic reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament using allograft tendon

Treatment of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knee using an arthroscopic technique and freeze-dried allograft tendons in 23 patients was studied prospectively. Accurate placement of drill holes and anchoring positions for the allografts was effected through a standard arthroscopic approach combined with a 3 cm incision on the medial tibial flare. Candidates for reconstruction were those who were unable to tolerate brace therapy and who had no degenerative arthritis. The 23 patients were drawn from a group of 60 treated patients because their follow-up had been greater than or equal to 1 year. Their knees were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively with a Lysholm knee rating scale, Lachman test with KT-1000 arthrometric quantitation, pivot shift, Biodex test, and radiographs. Knee rating values improved in all knees, and only one patient had a significant deterioration in the KT-1000 reading. All patients with at least 20 months follow-up have resumed their preinjury activity levels.     

Association of KT-1000 measurements with clinical tests of knee stability 1 year following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between KT-1000 measurements with an anterior translation force of 89 N and other measures of outcome (the Tegner activity score, the modified Lysholm score, subjective rating of instability, Lachman test, and pivot-shift test) 1 year following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. BACKGROUND: Health care professionals often use the side-to-side difference measured with the KT-1000 arthrometer to determine ACL integrity during passive motion. It has been postulated that a 5-mm or greater difference between impaired and nonimpaired knees represents a procedural failure. METHODS AND MEASURES: Ninety patients (46 men, 44 women) with a mean age of 30 +/- 8 years were examined 1 year after surgery. Patients were classified in 1 of 3 groups depending on the amount of laxity between the impaired knee and the nonimpaired knee. Seventy percent of the subjects had a side-to-side difference less than or equal to 3 mm (tight), 13% had a difference of between 3 and 5 mm (moderate), and 17% had a difference greater than or equal to 5 mm (loose) on examination using the KT-1000. RESULTS: Mean Lysholm and Tegner scores did not differ significantly among groups. Side-to-side differences in KT-1000 measurements at 89 N were not associated with the Lysholm score (r = -0.09) or Tegner score (r = 0.02). Lachman tests were related to involved-knee KT-1000 measurements (r = 0.39) but not to side-to-side differences in KT-1000 measurements (r = 0.15). Similarly, pivot-shift tests were related to involved-knee KT-1000 measurements (r = 0.26) but not to side-to-side differences (r = -0.08). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that side-to-side KT-1000 measurements obtained with an anterior translation force of 89 N should not be used in isolation to determine ACL reconstruction success or failure 1 year following surgery.     

Preliminary clinical results of two techniques for addressing graft tunnel mismatch in endoscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

This study reports the initial clinical results of 540 degrees of graft rotation or free tibial bone block to address graft tunnel mismatch in endoscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The operative reports of patients who underwent endoscopic ACL reconstruction between 1999 and 2001 were reviewed. Nine of 11 patients treated with a free tibial bone block and 14 of 17 patients treated with 540 degrees of graft rotation were evaluated. Mean follow-up was 20 months (range: 13-40 months) for the bone block group and 34 months (range: 18-48 months) for the 540 degrees group. There were statistically significant improvements in physical examination test results postoperatively, and only one patient in the 540 degrees group had a grade one positive pivot shift test. KT-1000 arthrometer testing demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in manual maximum and side-to-side differences at final follow-up. Mean Lysholm and Noyes sports function scores were excellent or good for all patients. One patient required reoperation for flexion contracture, one patient required an arthroscopic irrigation and debridement for a minor infection, and one patient required arthroscopic subtotal medial meniscectomy for failed meniscal repair. No difference was noted between these results and previous results of patients undergoing conventional endoscopic ACL reconstruction. These results demonstrate graft rotation and free bone block techniques are effective in addressing graft tunnel mismatch in endoscopic ACL reconstruction.     

Revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the lateral third of the ipsilateral patellar tendon after failure of a central-third graft: a preliminary report on 10 patients

Long-term outcomes were reported for 10 (77%) of 13 cases of revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using the lateral third of the ipsilateral patellar tendon as a graft. All primary ACL reconstructions were ipsilateral central-third bone-patellar tendon-bone graft procedures. Mean age at follow-up was 30.7 years, and mean time from revision ACL surgery to follow-up was 42.9 months. At follow-up, average KT-1000 difference between knees was 2.4 mm. All patients had a negative pivot shift, extension within 5 degrees of the contralateral knee, and flexion within 15 degrees. Mean bilateral comparison ratios for isokinetic strength and hop testing were: extension, 83.5%; flexion, 96%; and single-leg hop 96.9%. No patella fractures or tendon ruptures had occurred. All patients had returned to their previous work level, and 8 of the 10 patients could participate in at least "moderate" sports activities (e.g., skiing and tennis). The results were comparable to published outcome reports for both primary and revision ACL reconstruction. The lateral third of the ipsilateral patellar tendon is a good graft option for revision ACL reconstruction.     

Intrafix固定四股腘绳肌腱重建前交叉韧带的临床研究

目的 探讨采用Intrafix固定腘绳肌腱重建前交叉韧带的临床疗效.方法 2005年3月至12月采用Intrafix螺钉重建前交叉韧带患者35例,由同一术者完成,均采用4股半腱肌腱和股薄肌腱.前交叉韧带股骨端采用Endobutton袢固定.3例患者失访,术后随访时间为12～20个月,平均15个月.其中15例进行膝关节功能评分、KT-2000及X线检查,11例患者术后行MRI检查;其余17例患者仅进行了膝关节功能评分.结果 术后国际膝关节委员会(IKDC)膝关节主观功能评分平均91分(83～97分),15例膝关节检查IKDC分级为A级10例,B级5例(为术后膝关节伸屈角度略大所致).Lysholm评分83～93分,平均89分,其中优17例,良15例.术后优良率为100%.术后KT-2000结果 为30°133 N下平均1.2 mm(0～2.0 mm),90°133 N下平均0.5 mm(-0.5～2.0 mm).术后MRI可见重建韧带形态较好.术后X线片可见定位准确.结论 采用Intrafix固定四股腘绳肌腱重建前交叉韧带能够恢复膝关节前向稳定性,术后临床效果好.     

A minimally invasive technique ("healing response") to treat proximal ACL injuries in skeletally immature athletes

This study documents outcomes of athletically active, skeletally immature patients with proximal anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears treated with a non-reconstructive technique to promote healing ("healing response"). Between 1992 and 1998, 13 skeletally immature athletes with proximal ACL tears underwent a healing response procedure. Patients with previous ACL injury, other concurrent ligament pathology, and/or complete mid-substance ACL tears were excluded. Average preoperative KT-1000 arthrometer manual maximum difference for all patients was 5 mm (range: 3-10 mm). Preoperatively, all patients had a 1+ or 2+ pivot shift, and all patients reported knee function as abnormal or severely abnormal. Patients were followed prospectively with clinical examinations, KT-1000 testing, and subjective questionnaires. Three (23%) patients had a re-injury 30 to 55 months after the healing response and underwent subsequent ACL reconstruction. Subjective follow-up on the remaining 10 patients at an average of 69 months (range: 26-113 months) postoperatively indicated no patients experienced pain or giving way, and all considered their knee function normal. Average Lysholm score was 96, Tegner score was 8.5 (range: 7-10), and patient satisfaction at follow-up was 9.9 (1=very dissatisfied and 10=very satisfied). Clinical examination at least one year postoperatively was performed on 7 of 10 patients at 35 months (range: 12-63 months). Five patients had a negative pivot shift and 2 had a 1+ pivot shift. KT-1000 measurements improved to 2 mm (range: 0-3 mm). In the athletically active, skeletally immature patient, the healing response procedure can restore stability and knee function, with proper patient selection. In this study group, patients were very satisfied with the procedure and returned to a high level of sports and activities.     

Usefulness of knee arthroscopy for diagnosis of knee pain in pediatric patients: comparison with preoperative clinical diagnosis

Purpose

To investigate the knee arthroscopic findings of pediatric patients with knee pain.

Subjects

Ninety-five knees of 94 patients (46 males and 48 females) aged 15 years or younger who underwent knee arthroscopy during a 4-year period from January 2007 were studied. The mean age at surgery was 13.5 (7–15) years. The mean interval from symptom onset to arthroscopic examination was 6.8 months (5 days to 2 years 10 months).

Results

The most common cause of knee pain was sports-related activities (64 knees). Other causes included falling from a moving bicycle (5 knees), while knee pain appeared with no defined reason in 14 knees. The most frequent final diagnosis based on knee arthroscopic findings was anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury (35 knees), followed by discoid lateral meniscus (16 knees), lateral meniscal tear (11 knees), and medial plica syndrome (9 knees), while no arthroscopic abnormality was observed in 8 of 95 knees. Among the 95 knees, the diagnosis based on preoperative physical tests and imaging findings was different from the arthroscopic diagnosis in 16 knees, 8 of which were diagnosed preoperatively as medial meniscal tear.

Conclusion

ACL injury and discoid lateral meniscus were the predominant conditions in pediatric patients who underwent knee arthroscopic surgery for knee pain. Knee arthroscopy is useful to provide a definitive diagnosis for knee pain in pediatric patients. Preoperative evaluations had a diagnostic accuracy of only 83.2 % and failed to diagnose conditions such as medial plica syndrome and chondral injury. Therefore, diagnosis before knee arthroscopy has to be interpreted with caution.     

Revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: etiology of failures and clinical results

A retrospective study was performed to determine the etiology of failed primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and evaluate the clinical results of revision ACL surgery. From January 1989 to January 1996, 90 patients with failed ACL reconstructions underwent revision ACL surgery. The etiology of failed ACL reconstruction included 47 surgical technical errors, 22 traumatic reinjuries, 7 lack of graft incorporation, 3 loss of motion, 3 related to synthetic grafts, and 8 alignment or combined ligamentous instability patterns not addressed. Of 52 revision ACL patients with minimum 2-year follow-up, 43 responded to a questionnaire and underwent a comprehensive physical examination. The Hospital for Special Surgery knee ligament evaluation revealed 63% good/excellent results. Objective laxity test revealed 77% of all patients had 0/+1 grade on Lachman and a mean 2.86-mm KT 1000. The overall results of revision ACL surgery are encouraging in providing symptomatic relief and restoring stability; however, they are significantly lower than primary ACL surgery.     

Reconstruction of the chronically insufficient anterior cruciate ligament with the central third of the patellar ligament

The results of reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament with the central third of the patellar ligament as a free, autogenous, non-vascularized graft were retrospectively reviewed at our institution. Eighty reconstructions in seventy-nine patients were evaluated after a minimum of two years. In forty-eight (60 per cent) of the knees, the reconstruction was augmented with an extra-articular lateral sling of iliotibial band. The patients were evaluated with a physical examination, a KT-1000 arthrometer, radiographs, a subjective questionnaire, and a revision of the scale of The Hospital for Special Surgery for rating ligaments. Postoperatively, seventy-six (95 per cent) of the eighty knees no longer gave way, and the pivot-shift test was negative in sixty-seven (84 per cent) of the knees. The average score on the ligament-rating scale was 93 points. All of the patients who had clinical instability at the time of the most recent follow-up had associated ligamentous instability that had not been appreciated or addressed at the time of reconstruction. Arthrometric evaluation revealed that the laxity differed by three millimeters or less from that of the untreated knee in sixty (76 per cent) of the treated knees. In the patient who had bilateral reconstruction, the laxity was the same in both knees. Seventeen patients, who had more than three millimeters of translation, also had additional related ligamentous instability, most commonly posterolateral instability and insufficiency of the medial collateral ligament. We think that major associated ligamentous instability predisposes the reconstruction to failure and should be corrected in conjunction with the reconstruction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

全关节镜下膝关节后外复合体重建

目的 介绍全关节镜下腘肌腱重建、腘肌腱联合腘腓韧带重建或膝关节后外复合体(posterolateral corner,PLC)解剖重建的手术技术,探讨全关节镜下PLC重建治疗膝关节后外不稳定的效果.方法 2008年8月至2010年4月,共完成全关节镜下后十字韧带(posterior cruciate ligament,PCL)+PLC重建手术34例.患者在接受手术时平均年龄34.1岁(15～52岁);男32例,女2例;从受伤到手术平均10.7个月.所有病例均为陈旧性损伤,且均为复合韧带损伤.所有PCL损伤的病例都存在PLC损伤.合并前十字韧带损伤6例(17.6%),合并前十字韧带、内侧副韧带损伤2例(5.9%),合并内侧副韧带损伤5例(14.7%).对膝关节PLC损伤进行分型,采用不同的重建技术进行治疗.对于A型旋转不稳定,采用全关节镜下腘肌腱重建、腘肌腱联合腘腓韧带重建;对于C型后外不稳定,采用全关节镜下PLC解剖重建.结果 14例患者获得随访并进行二次关节镜检查,平均随访18.5个月(13～25个月).终末随访包括:膝关节查体、KT-1000测量、膝关节应力像和胫骨外旋稳定性.使用膝关节应力像测量胫骨后移程度,胫骨后移由术前平均15.56mm减少为术后5.16mm,手术前后差异有统计学意义.使用屈膝30°位胫骨外旋试验评估膝关节后外旋转不稳定.对比患侧与健侧胫骨外旋的差值,由术前平均14.92°减小为术后-0.22°,手术前后差异有统计学意义.术后患者平均屈曲受限4.23°,无伸膝受限.结论 对于膝关节PLC损伤导致的不稳定,采用全关节镜下PLC重建的手术技术,能够有效恢复膝关节后外旋转不稳定.这种手术技术能够与PCL重建联合应用.

Abstract：

Objectiye To introduce the surgical technique of arthroscopy assisted anatomical posterolateral corner (PLC) reconstruction,including popliteal ligament,popliteofibular ligament and lateral collateral ligament,and evaluate the results of this technique.Methods From August 2008 to April 2010,34arthroscopic posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and PLC reconstruction surgeries were performed.The average age of the patients was 34.1 (15-52) years.There were 32 males and 2 females.The average time period from injury to surgery was 10.7 months.All patients were chronic injuries and combined ligament injuries,including PCL and PLC injuries.Some cases had other ligament injury,including 6 patients of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury (17.6%),2 of ACL combined medial cruciate ligament (MCL) injuries (5.9%),and 5 of MCL injuries (14.7%).According to Fanellis classification,for type A posterolateral rotation instability,we performed arthroscopic popliteal ligament reconstruction or popliteal ligament combined popliteofibular ligament reconstruction.For type C posterolateral instability,we performed arthroscopic PLC anatomical reconstruction.Results During the follow-up period,14 patients had undergone a second look arthroscopic examination and removal of hardware.The average follow-up time was 18.5 months (13-25 months).At the final follow-up,physical examination,stability evaluation with KT-1000 and Telos stress view,and dial test were performed.The posterior displacement of the knee had decreased from 15.56 mm preoperatively to 5.16mm postoperatively.The external rotation instability had decreased from 14.92° preoperatively to -0.22°postoperatively.The average limitation of knee flexion was 4.23° and no knee extension was limited.Conclusion With the surgical technique of arthroscopy assisted anatomical PLC reconstruction,we can restore the external rotation stability of knee.This technique can be performed combine with PCL reconstruction.     

Central third bone-patellar tendon-bone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a 5-year follow-up.

SUMMARY: Arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using the central third bone-patellar tendon-bone as a free autologous graft is now a widely used procedure. However, little has been published regarding its long-term success. In this retrospective study, we report on the results of 32 patients who were followed-up over 5 years after their reconstruction. Twenty-five patients had improved on their prereconstruction Lysholm and Tegner Activity scores and the same number denied having any symptoms of instability. The mean Lysholm knee score was 88.5. All patients had within 10 degrees of full flexion and 28 had KT-1000 arthrometer readings within 3 mm of their uninjured knee. Only 3 patients had clinical evidence of failure of the graft. We conclude that this technique compares favorably with other alternatives in the long-term treatment of ACL rupture.     

Revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with doubled semitendinosus and gracilis tendons and lateral extra-articular reconstruction

BACKGROUND: The outcome of revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction has only rarely been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of revision anterior cruciate ligament surgery with use of an autogenous doubled semitendinosus and gracilis graft in association with an extra-articular procedure. METHODS: Between 1997 and 2003, thirty patients underwent a repeat reconstruction of a previously reconstructed torn anterior cruciate ligament with use of a doubled semitendinosus and gracilis graft combined with an extra-articular reconstruction. Primary reconstruction had been done with an autogenous patellar tendon graft in twenty-six patients and with a prosthetic ligament in four patients; the average time from the primary reconstruction to the revision was five years. Functional outcomes, graft survival, and radiographic outcomes were evaluated at a mean of five years. A graft was considered to have failed when a revision was done or when the side-to-side difference on KT-1000 arthrometer testing was >5 mm and/or the pivot-shift test grade was greater than a trace. RESULTS: One patient underwent another revision reconstruction because of graft failure at three years postoperatively. The mean International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee score for the remaining twenty-nine patients was 84 +/- 12 points, and the mean Lysholm knee score was 90 +/- 10 points. The side-to-side difference as measured with the KT-1000 arthrometer with maximum manual force was <3 mm in twenty patients (of the twenty-eight who returned for follow-up), between 3 and 5 mm in six patients, and >5 mm in two patients. The result of the pivot shift examination was normal in fifteen patients, slightly positive in eleven patients, and positive in two patients. Twenty-five percent of the patients showed no radiographic signs of degenerative joint disease. CONCLUSIONS: Revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with use of an autogenous doubled semitendinosus and gracilis graft combined with an extra-articular procedure provided satisfactory functional outcomes, with a failure rate of 10%.     

关节镜下应用异体跟腱股骨双束双隧道同时重建后交叉与前交叉韧带

目的 评价关节镜下应用异体跟腱股骨双束双隧道同时重建后交叉韧带与前交叉韧带的临床疗效.方法 14例前、后交叉韧带损伤患者在关节镜下应用异体跟腱同时重建前、后交叉韧带,且后交叉韧带股骨侧应用双束双隧道重建.受伤至手术时间平均19.5 d.术后平均随访34.5个月.采用Lysholm评分和Tegner评分对患膝功能进行评估,通过KT-1000检查膝关节的前后松弛度.术前患者屈膝活动度(123.6±2.5)°,Lysholm评分(52.8±2.2)分,伤前Tegner评分平均为(5.9±0.5)分,术前为(1.2±0.9)分.结果 术后患者屈膝活动度(117.9±2.8)°,与术前比较差异无统计学意义(t=1.54,P=0.14).术后Lachman试验阴性者13例(92.9%),后抽屉试验阴性者12例(85.7%).KT-1000屈膝25°双侧胫骨前后松弛度差值在2 mm以内9例,3～5 mm 4例,6 mm1例.屈膝70°差值2 mm以内10例,3～5 mm 3例,6 mm 1例.Lysholm评分术后提高至(92.9±3.3)分,差异具有统计学意义(t=17.009,P＜0.001).术后Tegner评分终末随访时平均为(5.4±0.8)分.手术前后的差异有统计学意义(F=4.2,P＜0.01).11例恢复到受伤前运动水平(78.6%),另外3例运动水平较受伤前有所降低.结论 关节镜下应用异体跟腱股骨双束双隧道同时重建后交叉韧带与前交叉韧带,后交叉韧带股骨侧应用双束双隧道重建,更接近后交叉韧带解剖重建,能够恢复膝关节的稳定性,较满意地恢复膝关节功能.     

Central third bone-patellar tendon-bone arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a 4-year follow-up

This prospective study reports the 4-year follow-up results of 56 patients (44 males and 12 females) who underwent arthroscopic reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) using a central third bone-patellar tendon-bone free autologous graft and assesses the mid-term effectiveness of this technique. Mean patient age was 30.2 years (range: 17-44 years). Sports injuries were the primary cause of ACL deficiency in 93% of patients. All knees had an isolated ACL tear, and 31 had associated meniscal or chondral lesions. Patients in the acute phase did not undergo surgery for 3-4 weeks. In patients with subacute and chronic ACL ruptures, the mean interval between injury and surgery was 62 weeks (range: 8-104 weeks). According to the International Knee Documentation Committee grading system, 53 (95%) knees were considered normal or nearly normal postoperatively. Improvement by at least 1 grade was noted in 12 knees, 30 knees had an improvement of at least 2 grades, 12 knees had a 3-grade improvement, and 1 had a grade that remained unchanged. One knee deteriorated from a grade C to a grade D, which was attributed to graft lysis 1 year postoperatively. For best results, subacute reconstruction between 3 and 5 weeks postinjury is recommended.     

Intra-articular mechanical blocks and full extension in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture frequently present with a lack of full extension. Current literature is unclear whether arthroscopic debridement is necessary before reconstruction to achieve full extension postoperatively. This study examined the postoperative extension achieved in 153 knees that underwent ACL reconstruction within 12 weeks of index injury. All patients performed preoperative physical therapy to increase range of motion and control pain/swelling, regardless of presenting range of motion without prior aspiration or arthroscopy. Of the 153 knees, 103 had meniscal pathology, of which 73 were peripheral vertical tears; 96 of the 153 knees lacked >/=3 degrees extension preoperatively. Five of 96 knees had an intra-articular mechanical block to extension and all regained full extension after ACL reconstruction. This study documented that a true intra-articular mechanical block is unusual in primary ACL ruptures. Lack of full extension can be adequately dealt with during surgical reconstruction without a detrimental effect on knee extension postoperatively.     

导航辅助前十字韧带单束与双束重建的比较研究

 目的 比较导航辅助前十字韧带单束与双束重建的临床效果。方法 对导航辅助的前十字韧带单束与双束重建病例进行回顾性队列研究, 单束重建组29 例、双束重建组28 例, 分别使用导航辅助单束、双束重建技术。两组术前KT-1000 患侧与健侧膝关节前向稳定性差值、轴移试验、国际膝关节评分委员会(International Knee Documentation Committee, IKDC)膝关节功能评级的差异均无统计学意义。结果 两组病例随访时间均超过2 年。末次随访时单束重建组膝关节前向稳定性差值为(1.6±5.1)mm, 双束重建组为(2.2±3.0)mm, 差异无统计学意义。单束重建组轴移试验阳性率为14.3%, 双束重建组为29.6%, 差异无统计学意义。单束重建组IKDC 膝关节功能评级优于双束重建组, 差异有统计学意义。单束重建组10 例行二次关节镜检查, 均可见移植物连续且张力好;双束重建组28 例行二次关节镜检查, 8 例(28.6%, 8/28)可见后外束且张力较好, 15 例(53.6%, 15/28)可见后外束但松弛, 5 例(17.8%, 5/28)未见后外束。结论 导航辅助前十字韧带单束与双束重建术后早期膝关节稳定性相同, 单束重建患者对术后膝关节功能的主观评分优于双束重建患者。     

Endoscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a computer-assisted fluoroscopic navigation system

Background During anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, placement of the reconstructed ligament affects the clinical results. To accomplish accurate and reproducible placement of the tibial bone tunnel, we employed a fluoroscopic navigation system for endoscopic ACL reconstruction. In this study, preciseness of the tibial tunnel placement was evaluated, and the advantages and disadvantages of this navigation system for endoscopic ACL reconstruction are discussed. Methods Altogether, 16 knees of 16 patients who had undergone ACL reconstruction using this system (navi group) were evaluated regarding the positioning of the tibial tunnel against Blumensaat's line using X-p and the route of the graft by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Another 16 knees of 16 patients who underwent endoscopic ACL reconstruction without the navigation system were the controls (control group). Results At the 1-year follow-up, maximally extended lateral knee X-p revealed that the anterior edge of the tibial tunnel and Blumensaat's line were almost aligned and that roof impingement was avoided; the T2-weighted MR images showed that the graft was placed close to and parallel to the intercondylar roof in all the knees of the navi group. The ratio of the distance between Blumensaat's line and the anterior edge of the tibial tunnel at the level of the tibial plateau to the anteroposterior width in fully extended true lateral radiographs was 2.7% ± 3.4% in the navi group and 8.4% ± 7.4% in the control group. Conclusions The computer-assisted fluoroscopic navigation system improves accuracy and decreases dispersion of the tibial tunnel placement against Blumensaat's line in single-bundle ACL reconstruction. This innovative device renders the reconstruction procedure more reliable, eliminating the problem of skeletal variation among patients. However, the function of this navigation system for femoral tunnel placement is insufficient at present. Further refinement of the system is necessary, and the method of application requires improvement.     

Does the peak torque of the hamstring and quadriceps muscles affect the knee laxity measurements in male patients with anterior cruciate ligament rupture?

The aim of the study was to examine whether the peak torque of the hamstring and quadriceps muscles affects the anterior knee laxity measurements in male patients. The study comprised 45 male patients who had a chronic unilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. Preoperatively, one experienced physiotherapist performed all the KT-1000 examinations. The anterior displacement was registered at 89 Newton. Immediately after the KT-1000 examination, an isokinetic concentric peak torque measurement was performed at 60°/s for both the hamstring and quadriceps muscles. The anterior displacement was significantly larger in the ACL-ruptured knees compared with the noninjured knees (p < 0.001). Patients with strong hamstring muscles on the injured side displayed significantly less knee laxity compared with patients with less strength (p = 0.018). There was an inverse correlation between the peak torque of the hamstring muscles and the KT-1000 anterior laxity measurements in the ACL-ruptured knees (rho = −0.37, p = 0.01). We conclude that male patients with strong hamstring muscles display smaller KT-1000 laxity measurements than patients with less strength. Received: 22 January 2001/Accepted: 24 January 2001     

Spontaneous healing of acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries - conservative treatment using an extension block soft brace without anterior stabilization

To evaluate the spontaneous healing capability of acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, conservative treatment was applied in a selected group of 31 patients, who had low athletic demands. Each patient demonstrated a continuous ACL on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), from the original femoral attachment through the tibial attachment, and an area of high intensity was detected in the substance of the ACL. The injured knees were treated using an extension block soft brace without anterior stabilization for 2-3 months. KT-2000 and MRI examinations were carried out regularly during the follow-up. Twenty-three knees (74%) were revealed to be stable in the follow-up examination, with an average of 16.1 months elapsing since the initial injuries. The KT-2000 side-to-side differences of 20 knees were less than 3 mm, and those of the other 3 knees were more than 3 mm but less than 5 mm. MRI confirmed that 21 injured ACL out of 23 knees maintained a femoral to tibial attachment and showed gradual reductions in image intensity. The positions of the other 2 injured ACL femoral attachments were different from the original femoral attachment: one was attached to the posterior cruciate ligament, and the other was located at the lateral femoral condyle anterior to the original femoral attachment. Eight knees (26%) subsequently required ACL reconstructions due to instability. This study indicates that an acutely injured ACL has healing capability. It also suggests that conservative management of the acute ACL injury can yield satisfactory results in a group of individuals who have low athletic demands and continuous ACL on MRI, provided the patients are willing to accept the slight risk of late ACL reconstruction and meniscal injury.