Arthroscopic-assisted anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with the semitendinosus tendon: comparison of results with and without braided polypropylene augmentation

Fifteen chronic anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knees were arthroscopically reconstructed with a semitendinosus tendon polypropylene (STP) augmented composite graft. A comparison group of 28 reconstructions with the semitendinosus tendon (ST) but without augmentation was simultaneously reviewed. The mean follow-up in the STP group was 31 months (range of 24-42 months) and in the ST group it was 34 months (range 26-54 months). Both patient groups had similar age, sex, preinjury functional sports level, injury-to-surgery interval, and associated meniscal pathology. Good-to-excellent subjective results were reported in 86% of STP patients and 78% of ST patients, whereas 86% of the STP patients and 88% of the ST patients returned to sports activity. Objective examination revealed 73% of the STP group and 82% of the ST group to have a negative or 1+ Lachman test result. A negative pivot shift was noted at follow-up in 80% of the STP group and in 82% of the ST group. KT-1000 testing revealed 60% of the STP patients and 61% of the ST patients to have less than or equal to 3 mm of side-to-side difference. In the STP group there was no evidence of graft breakage, deep infections, or sterile effusions. Overall subjective and functional results were uniformly better than objective results in both patient groups. Analysis of subjective, objective, and functional results reveal no difference in outcome between the STP and the ST patient groups.

The postoperative knee

Magnetic resonance (MR) has established itself as the gold standard for noninvasive imaging of the knee. As in arthroscopy, assessment of injuries to the menisci, articular surfaces, synovium, and cruciate ligaments can be made. Additionally, MR has an advantage over arthroscopy in being able to assess the para articular soft tissues and cortical and medullary bony compartments. Until recently, the role of MR in the postoperative knee has been less clear. New information, however, suggests that MR is capable of assessing the status of the partially resected meniscus, the adjacent articular surfaces, and subchondral medullary lesions that frequently occur. There has been recent interest in reestablishment of the stabilizing function of a previously torn anterior cruciate ligament by means of autogenous or allogenous materials. MR permits the surgeon to assess the isometry and possible sites of graft impingement that may occur following cruciate ligament reconstruction. The purpose of this article is to define the current status of MR in the assessment of the postoperative knee.

The anaesthetic management of a patient with a phaeochromocytoma and acute stroke

A case is reported of a young woman in whom the diagnosis of a phaeochromocytoma was made after a major stroke. Preoperative preparation included the introduction of phenoxybenzamine, 10 mg.day-1, and propranolol, 80 mg.day-1, over a two-week period. The presence of cerebrovascular disease and the marked orthostatic changes in blood pressure and heart rate to low-dose phenoxybenzamine prevented the establishment of full alpha blockade. Incomplete alpha blockade probably contributed to the hypertensive response to manipulation of the tumour (220/150 mmHg) and hypotension occurred after removal of the tumour (80/45 mmHg). An anaesthetic technique was chosen to provide haemodynamic stability as well as protection against cerebral ischaemia. Invasive haemodynamic monitoring, a four-channel processed electroencephalograph and somatosensory evoked potentials were used to accomplish these goals.

Osteonecrosis of the knee after arthroscopic surgery: diagnosis with MR imaging

Spontaneous osteonecrosis about the knee typically is a disease of the elderly characterized by an acute onset of pain. The exact cause of this condition has long been debated, although a causative relationship between meniscal tears and spontaneous osteonecrosis about the knee has been postulated. Seven patients with knee pain, meniscal tears, and chondromalacia without initial evidence of osteonecrosis at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging underwent arthroscopic surgery with meniscal recontouring or repair and cartilage shaving. These patients returned within 2-14 months with recurrent pain in the treated knee. MR imaging then demonstrated abnormalities consistent with osteonecrosis. Osteonecrosis of the femoral condyle or tibial plateau may be a late sequela of meniscal injury in association with chondromalacia and arthroscopic surgery. This diagnosis should be suspected in patients with recurrent knee pain after arthroscopic repair of meniscal tears. The precise relationship of this pattern of osteonecrosis to that previously described as spontaneous requires further investigation.

Accuracy of diagnoses from magnetic resonance imaging of the knee. A multi-center analysis of one thousand and fourteen patients

Magnetic resonance images of the knee were made for 1014 patients, and the diagnosis was subsequently confirmed arthroscopically. The accuracy of the diagnoses from the imaging was 89 per cent for the medial meniscus, 88 per cent for the lateral meniscus, 93 per cent for the anterior cruciate ligament, and 99 per cent for the posterior cruciate ligament. The magnetic resonance examinations were done at several centers, and the results varied substantially among centers. The accuracy ranged from 64 to 95 per cent for the medial meniscus, from 83 to 94 per cent for the lateral meniscus, and from 78 to 97 per cent for the anterior cruciate ligament. The results from different magnetic-resonance units were also compared, and the findings suggested increased accuracy for the units that had a stronger magnetic field. Of the menisci for which the magnetic resonance signal was reported to be Grade II (a linear intrameniscal signal not extending to the superior or inferior meniscal surface), 17 per cent were found to be torn at arthroscopy.

Evaluation of patients with persistent symptoms after lateral retinacular release by kinematic magnetic resonance imaging of the patellofemoral joint

The arthroscopic lateral retinacular release is typically performed to treat patellar pain and instability. This procedure was previously considered to be relatively benign with a low associated complication rate. However, a high incidence of medial subluxation of the patella was recently reported in patients with persistent symptoms after lateral retinacular release. Because the use of physical examination criteria may not always be sufficient to assess patellar alignment, 40 patients (43 knees) were evaluated by the newly developed technique of kinematic magnetic resonance imaging of the patellofemoral joint. One (2%) patellofemoral joint had normal patellar alignment, 10 (23%) had lateral subluxation of the patella, 1 (2%) had excessive lateral pressure syndrome, 27 (63%) had medial subluxation of the patella, and 4 (9%) had lateral-to-medial subluxation of the patella. Seventeen of 40 patients (43%) with unilateral arthroscopic lateral retinacular releases had medially subluxated patellae on the unoperated joints. Because patellar malalignment commonly affects bilateral joints, medial subluxation of the patella may have been present before the lateral retinacular release but was not recognized in these patients.

A psychogeriatric nursing assessment protocol for use in multidisciplinary practice

The assessment of geriatric patients with psychiatric or neurobehavioral problems demands a multidisciplinary approach linking nursing, psychiatry, neurology, geriatrics, and internal medicine. While the medical disciplines have relatively well-established approaches to assessing psychogeriatric patients, nursing lacks a comprehensive assessment strategy that supports both nursing and multidisciplinary practice. This article describes the Psychogeriatric Nursing Assessment Protocol (Abraham, 1989) developed for use in a multidisciplinary geriatric neuropsychiatric outpatient clinic. The relationship of the protocol to psychiatric, neurological, geriatric, and medical assessments is discussed in an attempt to clarify the linkages of knowledge and care required for successful service delivery to geriatric patients with psychiatric or neurobehavioral problems, as well as to their families and formal and informal caregivers.

Peripheral meniscal tears: MR findings after conservative treatment or arthroscopic repair

Follow-up knee magnetic resonance (MR) examinations were performed on 17 patients (18 menisci) with arthroscopically proved tears of the outer third of the meniscus who were treated either conservatively (six patients) or with surgical repair (11 patients). All patients satisfied accepted clinical orthopedic criteria for meniscal healing. MR examinations obtained 3-27 months after injury revealed persistent signal intensity (grade 3), unchanged from that seen on the preoperative study, in all 15 patients in whom both pre- and postoperative studies were obtained and in three of four menisci that were proved to be healed at second-look arthroscopy. It appears that grade 3 signal from both conservatively treated and repaired menisci may persist long after the tear has become asymptomatic and has presumably healed. The presence of such signal should not be interpreted as necessarily indicating meniscal retear in these patients. Persistent signal intensity at the site of previous injuries may account for some reported cases of disagreement between MR and arthroscopic findings.

Results of arthroscopic meniscectomy

It would appear that arthroscopic partial menisectomy offers as good, if not better, results compared with open meniscectomy. Authors who have compared patients undergoing open meniscectomy with those undergoing arthroscopic meniscectomy have also shown that the other variables and parameters so important to the patient in the early postoperative period weight very heavily in favor of arthroscopic meniscectomy.

Acute anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Analysis of complications

One hundred fifty-six patients treated with intraarticular anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction were analyzed to determine the incidence of complications. The study group of 31 patients (Group I) was treated with repair or reconstruction of an acute ACL injury. A comparison group of 125 patients had reconstruction for chronic ACL instability (Group II). The patients were evaluated clinically and by roentgenograms. The average follow-up time for the study group was 52.2 months. In Group I, 35% developed fibroarthrosis postoperatively that required arthroscopic lysis of adhesions and manipulation to restore motion. In Group II, only 12% developed this complication. However, developing this complication did not affect a patient's long-term clinical result when properly recognized and promptly treated.

Patellar tracking abnormalities: clinical experience with kinematic MR imaging in 130 patients

A kinematic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technique for assessment of malalignment of the patella, involving the acquisition of multiple sequential axial images of the patellofemoral joint during the early increments of passive knee flexion, was used to evaluate 130 patients (235 symptomatic patellofemoral joints) showing clinical evidence of having patellar tracking abnormalities. Twenty-three of the patellofemoral joints had undergone previous surgical procedures for patellar realignment. In addition, 14 (28 patellofemoral joints) asymptomatic control subjects were studied. Normal patellar tracking was observed in all of the asymptomatic subjects and in 43 (17%) of the 260 patellofemoral joints in the patient population, 18 (7%) of which were symptomatic. Sixty-nine (26%) of the patellofemoral joints had lateral subluxation of the patella, 106 (41%) had medial subluxation of the patella, 21 (8%) had excessive lateral pressure syndrome, 19 (7%) had lateral-to-medial subluxation of the patella, and two (1%) had dislocation of the patella. Of the 235 patellofemoral joints with suspected abnormalities, 217 (93%) had patellar malalignment. Of the 23 patellofemoral joints that had undergone prior surgery, 20 (87%) had abnormal patellar tracking. Thirteen of 14 (93%) patellofemoral joints that had undergone a prior arthroscopic lateral retinacular release had a medially displaced patella.

Kinematic Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Evaluation of Patellar Tracking

In brief: Kinematic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the patellofemoral joint was r developed to evaluate patellar tracking abnormalities. This technique has several advantages over radiography, eg, it does not expose the patient to ionizing radiation, and it clearly defines the patella and the femoral Cochlea groove without distortion. It also shows the movement of the patella in relation to the trochlea groove at 5° increments of knee flexion up to 30°. This case report demonstrates the value of kinematic MRI in diagnosing excessive lateral pressure syndrome (a frequent cause of knee pain), which cannot be detected by conventional diagnostic 'Paging techniques.

Intraarticular versus intraarticular and extraarticular reconstruction for chronic anterior cruciate ligament instability

One hundred twenty-seven patients were evaluated for the results of surgical stabilization in chronic anterior cruciate ligament instability. Eighty-four patients had been treated with intraarticular reconstruction alone, while 43 patients had been treated with a combination of intraarticular and extraarticular stabilization. Patients were evaluated by questionnaire to assess subjective and functional status by clinical examination of objective findings, and by roentgenograms and instrumented ligamentous stability testing. The follow-up interval averaged 45.2 months for the entire group (range, 24-90 months). Using a 200-point scale, the rating for the group treated with intraarticular reconstruction alone was 169.1, while the average rating for the group treated with combined intraarticular and extraarticular stabilization was 166.2. Overall, an excellent or good result was obtained in 67% of patients in the intraarticular only group and in 70% of the patients in the combined reconstruction group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of changes seen on roentgenograms or in terms of residual laxity measured by instrumented testing. Thus, there is no demonstrable benefit derived from combined intraarticular and extraarticular stabilization procedures for chronic anterior cruciate ligament instability, provided that a well-placed intraarticular substitute of sufficient strength is functional.

Four to ten year followup of unreconstructed anterior cruciate ligament tears

Both operative and nonoperative methods have been advocated for the treatment of ACL tears. However, the optimum management of this injury remains controversial. In the present study, patients treated nonoperatively were evaluated retrospectively 4 to 10 years after ACL tears were documented by arthroscopy and by mild to moderate pivot shifts under anesthesia. Forty-nine patients who underwent arthroscopic evaluation of the knee between 1976 and 1982 were found to have complete tears of the ACL. A mild to moderate pivot shift was present under anesthesia. One or both menisci were torn in two-thirds of the knees, requiring partial meniscectomies. The average age of the patients was 27 years (range, 16 to 46 years). Because of persistent disabling instability, 9 patients (18%) underwent late ACL reconstruction. The remaining 40 patients were evaluated at an average of 5.6 years after documentation of the tear (range, 4 to 10 years). At followup, 25 (62%) of the 40 patients had satisfactory subjective results. Eight of the patients (20%) had returned to their preinjury level of athletic activities without restrictions, and 10 (25%) functioned at the same level but with symptoms, some patients requiring bracing. Seventeen patients (43%) had diminished their level of sports activities, while 5 patients (12%) had given up all sports. Only 2 patients required late meniscectomies. On physical examination, 27 patients (87%) had pivot shifts. Instrumented laxity testing revealed an injured to normal difference of 3.1 mm with a 20 pound force. Radiographic studies were interpreted as normal in 35% of the knees, whereas 65% demonstrated mild degenerative changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Arthroscopic "second look" at the GORE-TEX ligament

We performed an arthroscopic "second look" in 21 knees (20 patients) that had arthroscopic implantation of the GORE-TEX prosthesis for chronic ACL insufficiency. Arthroscopy was done on eight knees at the time of screw removal, eight for knee pain, two for giving way, and three for recurrent effusions. The degree of synovial joint reaction, graft synovial ingrowth, and graft rupture was graded. Microscopic examination was carried out on all biopsies of the GORE-TEX ligament. The average patient age was 30 years and the average time interval from original implantation to second look was 11 months. The GORE-TEX was intact in 11 knees, 10% ruptured in 6, and completely ruptured in 4. There was no correlation between number of GORE-TEX strands ruptured and synovial reaction. No particles of the graft were noted in the synovium if the implant was intact, but particles were noted with graft rupture. We conclude that the intact GORE-TEX ligament is an inert substance and does not cause significant joint reaction. Impingement in the intercondylar notch appeared to be the most common cause of graft failure. Further study is critical to determine the natural history of the GORE-TEX ligament and the knees' response to this prosthetic device.

Patellofemoral joint: kinematic MR imaging to assess tracking abnormalities

The patellofemoral joint was imaged with magnetic resonance (MR) in the axial plane while the knee was positioned from 0 degrees to 32 degrees of flexion (nine positions). These multiple sequential images obtained within the early phases of flexion of the knee were viewed in a "cine-loop" format, producing a kinematic study that clearly demonstrated the relationship of the patella to the trochlear groove. Four healthy subjects and one patient with known bilateral subluxing patellae were studied. The preliminary results suggest that kinematic MR imaging of the patellofemoral joint is potentially useful for the evaluation of patellar tracking abnormalities.

Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament using a torn meniscus

In eighty of 100 patients, reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament using a torn meniscus was successful in restoring stability. The length of follow-up ranged from two to six years and the mean interval from injury to operation was two years. Preoperatively, all but one patient had a positive (2+ or 3+) Lachman test and a positive pivot-shift test. Only ten patients had evidence of major instability, as seen on either test. The result was the same regardless of whether the patient had had a concomitant extra-articular (Ellison) procedure. The results of arthroscopic biopsy in eleven patients did not support the hypothesis that the meniscus underwent metaplasia to ligamentous tissue. Although this procedure yielded results similar to those of other procedures in which autogenous tissues are used to reconstruct the ligament, the meniscus should rarely, if ever, be used for reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. The procedure is indicated only for patients who, in addition to needing reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament, also have a torn meniscus that would otherwise have to be totally excised.

Oral flecainide pharmacokinetics in patients with impaired renal function

The pharmacokinetics of flecainide acetate were studied in 20 patients with varying degrees of renal impairment following a single oral dose. The patients were divided into two groups, on the basis of renal creatinine clearance (CLCR), for statistical and kinetic analysis. Patients with a CLCR between 4 and 41 mL/min/m2 were designated group 1 and those below 4 mL/min/m2 or unmeasurable because of lack of urine output were designated group 2. In both groups peak plasma flecainide concentrations, time to peak concentrations, and apparent volume of distribution (Vd) were similar to those reported in healthy subjects with normal renal function. The mean flecainide plasma elimination half-lives from both groups 1 and 2 were longer than those previously reported by several investigators in normal subjects. Nine patients in group 1 and seven patients in group 2 had half-lives within the range reported in healthy subjects. Therefore, CLCR alone is not a good predictor of plasma elimination half-life following a single oral dose of flecainide. Although renal clearance of flecainide is significantly reduced in end-stage renal disease (ESRD), total plasma clearance of flecainide (CLflec) was not reduced to the same degree, although there was a significant, modest correlation with CLCR. Less than 1% of the administered oral dose of flecainide was removed during hemodialysis. The relationship between dosage and plasma elimination half-life in patients with ESRD needs further study to evaluate possible dose-dependent kinetics.

Treatment of the anterior cruciate ligament-absent knee with associated meniscal tears. Instrumented testing and clinical evaluation of two patient groups

The UCLA instrumented clinical testing apparatus was used to measure postoperative stiffness and laxity for two groups of patients with documented chronic absence of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and associated meniscal tears. Group 1 consisted of 76 patients (average age, 25 years) who had undergone anterior cruciate substitution using the torn meniscus, and a second group of 34 patients (average age, 31 years) who had partial meniscectomy alone without ACL substitution. Subjective and objective evaluations were significantly higher and symptoms of pain and buckling significantly lower in the substitution group. In addition, 29% of Group 1 and only 7% of Group 2 patients were able to return to their preinjury sports without limitations, while 5% of the former and 12% of the latter could not return to any sport. At 90 degrees of flexion, there were no significant differences in stiffness or laxity between the patient groups. At 20 degrees of flexion and neutral foot rotation, the meniscal substitution group had an average of 1.4 mm less side-to-side laxity difference than the partial meniscectomy patients; 51% of the substituted patients still had an injured knee laxity that was at least 2 mm greater than the uninjured knee, as contrasted to 67% of the partial meniscectomy patients who exceeded this upper limit of the normal range. At 20 degrees, anterior stiffness of the injured knees of the substitution patients was 28% greater than the injured knees of the partial meniscectomy group; 42% of the substituted patients had an injured knee stiffness within the normal range, while only 18% of the partial meniscectomy patients fell within normal limits. There were no statistical correlations of stiffness or laxity values with clinical scores or patient symptomatology in either group.

Electrosurgery in operative arthroscopy

Electrosurgery is a useful tool in the orthopedic procedures outlined, including lateral release, synovial lesions, and shoulder impingement syndrome. The salient positive characteristic of electrosurgery is the capacity to obtain immediate and thorough hemostasis, thereby allowing the patient to begin a rehabilitative program far sooner than with conventional operative techniques. Less hemarthrosis also lowers the level of postoperative pain and the risk of postoperative infection. By becoming familiar with some of the basics of electrosurgery, including equipment and electrosurgical principles, the surgeon and staff can better utilize electrosurgery and be aware of the potential, yet avoidable, complications. The future appears bright for electrosurgery, with new equipment and procedures being developed, but more research is needed to clarify the long-term effects on tissues involved and the clinical results of patients.

Patellar instability: treatment by arthroscopic electrosurgical lateral release

We reviewed the results of arthroscopic lateral release using electrosurgery in 39 patients (45 knees) with a history of recurrent patellar subluxation or dislocation. The average follow-up time was 28 months (range, 24-36). At follow-up, the patients had decreased swelling, instability, and pain. There was an improvement in flexion activities, sports participation, and overall functional ability. Only 20% of the knees had completely normal physical findings: 11.1% of the knees were rated as excellent; 64.4% were improved; and 24.5% were poor. Dislocators had more frequent poor results. The complication rate was 4.4%. There were no postoperative hemathroses. One patient was considered a surgical failure. The technique yields results comparable with those of open extensor realignment procedures and avoids the complications inherent to lateral release in general. The place for this procedure in patellar instability is well-documented.

Failed arthroscopic meniscectomy: prognostic factors for repeat arthroscopic examination

The authors have reviewed 44 patients retrospectively who failed arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. The study attempts to define the chances for success and to identify prognostic factors as these patients return for reoperation. Each patient had a repeat arthroscopic examination from 2 to 60 months after partial meniscectomy (average 19 months). They were reviewed an average of 31 months after reoperation (6 to 60 months), and each completed a subjective questionnaire evaluating the efficacy of their repeat arthroscopic surgery. Seventy-one percent of the patients had improvement with reoperation and were classified as good or excellent. Twelve patients (29%) did not improve and were rated poor. Ten parameters, as recorded before repeat arthroscopic examination, were investigated in an attempt to correlate each with success and to find those that are significant prognostic factors. Age of the patient, number of surgeries on the involved knee, time between arthroscopic examinations, nature of history (acute or chronic), workers' compensation or private insurance status, range of motion on physical examination prior to repeat arthroscopy, and degree of chondromalacia as seen at the first surgery were not found to correlate with the ultimate success of the patient. The presence of mechanical complaints before reoperation was a statistically significant parameter that led to a good or excellent result in 86% of the patients at follow-up. Lateral meniscal pathology seen at first partial meniscectomy gave more favorable results than medial meniscal pathology even if the patient had nonmechanical complaints. A history of reinjury between arthroscopic surgeries is helpful only if positive. In the absence of such a history, no conclusion can be drawn.

Residential health study of families living near the Drake Chemical Superfund site in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Health conducted a health survey of a group of residents in the Lock Haven area who live in the immediate vicinity of the Drake Superfund site. A control group of residents were selected randomly from the remaining areas of Lock Haven. The study did not indicate the presence of any serious chronic health conditions in the exposed group of residents when compared with the control group. Significantly more individuals in the exposed group than the control group experienced skin problems and sleepiness for at least 1 month prior to the survey, indicative of a possible association between direct human exposure to toxic chemicals from the site and the manifestation of symptoms. The increased prevalence of the two symptoms may also have been caused by factors other than contaminants at the Drake site, e.g., stress, occupational exposure, or other etiologic agents, or it may be a spurious finding due to chance or biased reporting.