Präzise computergestützte Beinachsenkorrektur mit öffnender valgisierender Tibiakopfosteotomie

[Quality of life and job performance resulting from operatively treated tibial plateau fractures]

BACKGROUND

The aim of this article is to present the functional results and the effect on quality of life of surgically treated tibial plateau fractures in physically active and working patients with multiple and serious injuries. In addition, the relationships between functional and radiological outcome were evaluated and compared with activity in daily and professional life.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In all, 41 injured patients were followed up a mean of 47 months after surgical treatment and examined with radiological, functional, as well as quality of life score.

RESULTS

In the radiological scoring, a mean value of 72 points (max 100 points) was achieved. In the activity score, there was an average of 63.5 points (max 100 points). When evaluating the health-related quality of life, an average score of 69.6 points was achieved. There was a significant relationship between radiological and activity scores and the radiological and life quality scores. Furthermore, the relationship between activity and quality of life scores was considered significant. Surgeon's influence on the functional outcome could be confirmed.

CONCLUSION

The functional and the radiological results were moderate. Quality of life was permanently affected by the consequences of tibial plateau fracture in 12 patients; 11 patients were not re-employed. However, the quality of life was assessed as good or very good and 28 patients had returned to work. The quality of life was firmly linked to the radiological and functional parameters, which tended to be influenced by the quality of the primary surgical treatment when looking at the overall population.

Simultaneous anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and computer-assisted open-wedge high tibial osteotomy: a report of eight cases

Eight patients, aged 37-50 years, with chronic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficiency, medial compartment osteoarthritis and varus deformity underwent simultaneous arthroscopic ACL reconstruction and open-wedge high tibial osteotomy controlled by a computer navigation system. Despite preoperative planning, the surgeon may need to choose a different osteotomy site during the procedure, invalidating the previous plans. The intraoperative wire control for osteotomies is not precise. The navigation system can help obtain precise alignment during high tibial osteotomy. The average preoperative mechanical axis was 7.5 of varum (sd±1.17°), the average postoperative axis was 1.2° of valgus (sd±1.04°) (p<0.01), and the average correction of the mechanical axis was 8.7° (sd±0.76°). The site of the osteotomy was 3.9 cm (3.5-4.8 cm, sd±0.35 mm) from the articular line, with an inclination of 27.9° (24-35, sd±4.8). The simultaneous use of these procedures allowed proper correction of the knee axis during the surgery. The surgery can be performed concomitantly with ACL reconstruction.

A new fixation material for open-wedge tibial osteotomy for genu varum

Varus deformity of the knee is a determining factor in the development of osteoarthrosis of the medial compartment. Open wedge osteotomy corrects the deformity and has quickly become popular due to the fact that the surgical technique can be easily reproduced, it spares loss of bone tissue in the metaphysiary region, and it does not require muscle dissection, reducing the risk of lesion of the fibular nerve. The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of a new fixation implant (Anthony-K plate - France Bloc S.A, CE n0499, ISO 9001, EN 46001), in terms of its clinical improvement, correction of the deformity, and slope alteration. Twenty adult patients with varus deformity were evaluated, and submitted to open wedge high tibial osteotomy using the Anthony plate, between October 2004 and November 2006. The varus deformity was corrected in all cases, and there was a significant increase in the Lysholm score. Correlation analysis has shown that the greater the preoperative varus deformity, the larger the opening wedge used. Also, the greater the initial posterior tibial slope, the larger the final posterior tibial slope (p=0.0168). There were no complications. The Anthony plate can be considered an alternative in the treatment of medial osteoarthrosis of the varus knee, enabling the correction of the deformity and improvement of the clinical picture. It occurs an increase in posterior tibial slope, similar to that observed with other fixation materials. More studies with the Anthony plate are necessary, after these encouraging results.