[Anterior cruciate ligament injury in adults : Diagnostics and treatment]

Conservative treatment versus surgical reconstruction for ACL rupture: A systemic review

Background

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a prevalent sports injury with rising rates attributed to increased population participation in sports activities. ACL rupture can lead to severe knee complications including cartilage damage, torn meniscus, and osteoarthritis. Current treatment options include conservative measures and surgical interventions. However, debates persist regarding the optimal approach.

Purpose

This analysis intended to compare the function, knee stability, and incidence rate of secondary surgery between conservative and surgical treatments in ACL rupture patients.

Methods

A systematic search was performed via Embase, Ovid Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for reporting outcomes of conservative and surgical treatments after ACL rupture. The outcomes included patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), knee stability, the need for secondary meniscal surgery, delayed ACL reconstruction surgery, and revision ACL reconstruction surgery. Outcomes were analyzed using mean differences or odd ratios (OR) with 95 % CIs.

Results

11 studies were included with 1516 patients. For PROMs, our evidence indicated no differences in KOOS Pain, KOOS Symptoms, KOOS Sport/Rec, KOOS ADL, and KOOS QOL. (all p > 0.05). for knee stability, pivot shift (OR, 0.14; p < 0.001), Lachman test (OR, 0.06; p < 0.001), and tibia translation (p < 0.001) were evaluated, and the available evidence favored surgical treatment over conservative treatment. For the incidence rate of any secondary surgery after the first diagnosis, the surgical group showed a lower rate of meniscal surgery with statistical significance (OR, 0.37; p < 0.001). The average rate of revision ACL reconstruction is 5.80 %, while the rate of delayed ACL reconstruction after conservative treatment is 18.51 %.

Conclusion

Currently, there is insufficient empirical evidence to advocate a systematic surgical reconstruction for any patient who tore his ACL. This review found no differences in function outcomes between conservative and surgical treatments. Regarding knee stability and secondary meniscal surgery, the results prefer the surgical treatments. The occurrence rate of revision and delayed ACL reconstruction are non-negligible factors that must be fully understood by both surgeons and patients before choosing a suitable treatment.

[Complex knee injuries in football : Management from injury to return to competition]

BACKGROUND

Knee joint injuries are a regular and serious injury in football, often resulting in a long period of absence for players and are, therefore, a significant disadvantage for clubs. The various structures of the knee joint, such as ligaments, meniscus or cartilage, are exposed to the risk of injury due to different sport-specific situations in football and require different and specific therapeutic approaches for their adequate healing.

TREATMENT

Both surgical and conservative treatment measures have been well investigated scientifically, especially for knee joint injuries in football, so that a successful and sustainable return to play on field is highly possible. Only in professional football is there a deviation from the usual standard of treatment in special situations in order to meet the demands and goals of professional footballers. In order to do address different subpopulations in football in the various injury types, both in treatment and in the return to play decision and, thus, sustainable secondary prevention, in addition to knowledge of scientific evidence on knee joint injuries, basic experience in the sport in which the patients with knee joint injuries are active is also useful.

[Imaging of the anterior cruciate ligament and anterolateral rotational instability of the knee joint]

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is essential for the stability of the knee joint and ACL tears are one of the most common sports injuries with a high incidence, especially in sports that require rotational movements and abrupt changes in direction. Injuries of the ACL are rarely isolated and are often accompanied by meniscal and other internal knee injuries, which increase the risk of osteoarthritis. The spectrum of ACL injuries includes strains, partial tears and complete tears. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays a pivotal role in the diagnostics as it can accurately depict not only the ACL but also accompanying injuries. Proton density and T2-weighted sequences are particularly suitable for evaluating the ACL, which is usually well visible and assessable in all planes. In addition to depicting fiber disruption as a direct sign and central diagnostic indicator of an ACL tear, there are numerous other direct and indirect signs of an ACL injury in MRI. These include abnormal fiber orientations, signal increases and an anterior subluxation of the tibia relative to the femur. The bone marrow edema patterns often associated with ACL tears are indicative of the underlying injury mechanism. The treatment of ACL tears can be conservative or surgical depending on various factors, such as the patient's activity level and the presence of accompanying injuries. The precise and comprehensive description of ACL injuries by radiology is crucial for optimal treatment planning. Anterolateral rotational instability (ALRI) of the knee joint characterizes a condition of excessive lateral and rotational mobility of the tibia in relation to the femur in the anterolateral knee region. This instability is primarily caused by a rupture of the ACL, with the anterolateral ligament (ALL) that was rediscovered about 10 years ago, also being attributed a role in stabilizing the knee. Although ALRI is primarily diagnosed through clinical examinations, MRI is indispensable for detecting injuries to the ACL, ALL, and other internal knee structures, which is essential for developing an optimal treatment strategy.

Comparison of In Vivo Stiffness of Tendons Commonly Used for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction - A Shear Wave Elastography Study

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

There are currently no studies investigating the in vivo stiffness of the most commonly used autografts for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) using Shear wave elastography (SWE). We hypothesize that there are differences regarding the elastic properties between the three tendons commonly used for ACLR and that they are influenced by patient-related factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

80 healthy subjects (25 females, 55 males, age: 25.33 ± 4.76 years, BMI: 23.76 ± 3.14 kg/m2, 40 semiprofessional athletes, athlete group [AG], age: 25.51 [19-29]; 40 healthy controls, control group [CG], age: 25.50 [20-29]) were recruited as participants. In addition to patient reported outcome scores, every participant underwent a standardized multimodal ultrasound protocol consisting of B-mode-ultrasound (B-US), Color Doppler-ultrasound (CD-US) and a SWE examination of the bilateral quadriceps tendon (QT), patellar tendon (PT) and semitendinosus tendon (ST).

RESULTS

The highest shear wave velocity (SWV) were observed in ST (4.88 (4.35-5.52) m/s, ST vs QT, p = 0.005; ST vs PT, p < 0.001) followed by QT (4.61 (4.13-5.26) m/s, QT vs PT, p < 0.001) and PT (3.73 (3.30-4.68) m/s). Median QT, PT and ST stiffness was significantly higher in AG compared to CG. Male subjects tend to have stiffer QT and PT than female subjects. Positive correlation with SWV was obtained for age and activity level.

CONCLUSION

There are significant differences regarding in vivo tendon stiffness between the most frequently used autograft tendon options for ACLR. The quantitative information obtained by SWE could be of particular interest for graft choice for ACLR.

Comparison of stiffness, elasticity and resilience values of ACL with autografts used instead of ACL in terms of texture analysis

Background

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures are one of the most extensively studied injuries in the field of orthopedics, but despite the extensive research, graft selection for ACL reconstruction remains a matter of debate. The present study aims to evaluate the stiffness and elasticity of native ACLs using texture profile analysis and compare results with those of autografts used in ACL reconstruction.

Methods

Included in the study were dissected 12 cadavers from which grafts were recovered. The graft characteristics, such as stiffness, elasticity and resilience, were measured using a TA.XT Plus Texture Analyzer.

Findings

Among the grafts studied, Achilles' tendon graft (0.70; 0.64) had the highest resilience in both males and females, while the greatest elasticity was identified in the patellar tendon graft (Male: 93 %; Female: 94 %) in all subjects. The highest stiffness value in males was recorded for the quadriceps tendon graft (2928.76 N), while the highest stiffness value in females was recorded for Achilles' tendon graft (2204.61 N).

Interpretation

According to the study data, the autografts that may be considered as an alternative to ACL were, listed in order of strength from high to low, the quadriceps, Achilles', patella and hamstring tendons in men, and the Achilles', quadriceps, patellar and hamstring tendons in women. It is worthy of note that the hamstring tendon graft, which is the most frequently preferred autograft in ACL reconstruction, was found to be the lowest in all parameters in both groups.

Application of multiplanar reconstruction and 3D printing in anterior cruciate ligament revision

OBJECTIVES

Anterior cruciate ligament injury is the most common type of knee joint ligament injury. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction has a high failure rate, with bone tunnel abnormalities as the most significant factor in these failures. Digital orthopedic technology can effectively develop implementation plans for the revision, thus increasing the success rate. This study aims to develop a surgical plan for anterior cruciate ligament revision by employing multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) for measuring bone tunnel position and diameter, and simulating bone tunnel creation via 3D printing preoperatively.

METHODS

A total of 12 patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament revision at the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between 2014 and 2021 were retrospectively studied. The data included patient demographics, preoperative formulated knee joint 3D printing models, and preoperative knee CT scans. The study measured the bone tunnel's diameter and position to guide the establishment of revision bone tunnels during surgery, reassessed the postoperative bone tunnels, and evaluated knee joint functional scores [including International Knee Documentation Committee Knee Evaluation Form (IKDC) score, Lysholm score, and Tegner exercise level score].

RESULTS

Preoperative measurements revealed suboptimal femoral tunnels positions in 4 patients and tibial tunnels positions in 2 patients. MPR and 3D printing technology were used to guide the establishment of a new bone canal during surgery, and postoperative measurements were satisfactory for all patients. Preoperative measurements demonstrated the interclass correlation coefficient for femoral tunnels and tibial tunnels diameters were 0.843 (P<0.05) and 0.889 (P<0.001), respectively. Meanwhile, the intraclass correlation coefficient were 0.811 (P<0.05) and 0.784 (P<0.05), respectively. The intraoperative diameter of femoral and tibial tunnels showed excellent correlation with postoperative CT measurements, with intraclass correlation coefficient values of 0.995 (P<0.001) and 0.987 (P<0.001), respectively. All bone tunnel positions were within the normal range. At the final follow-up, knee joint function scores in all 12 patients improved significantly compared to pre-surgery (P<0.001), and the reoperation rate was zero.

CONCLUSIONS

MPR and 3D printing technology can accurately measure the parameters of reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament bone tunnels. Personalized revision plans for patients with reconstruction failure enhances the success rate of revision surgery and improves patient prognosis.

Assessment of Quality and Readability of Information Provided by ChatGPT in Relation to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

The aim of our study was to evaluate the potential role of Artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT in patient education. To do this, we assessed both the quality and readability of information provided by ChatGPT 3.5 and 4 in relation to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury and treatment. ChatGPT 3.5 and 4 were used to answer common patient queries relating to ACL injuries and treatment. The quality of the information was assessed using the DISCERN criteria. Readability was assessed with the use of seven readability formulae: the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level, the Flesch Reading Ease Score, the Raygor Estimate, the SMOG, the Fry, the FORCAST, and the Gunning Fog. The mean reading grade level (RGL) was compared with the recommended 8th-grade reading level, the mean RGL among adults in America. The perceived quality and mean RGL of answers given by both ChatGPT 3.5 and 4 was also compared. Both ChatGPT 3.5 and 4 yielded DISCERN scores suggesting "good" quality of information, with ChatGPT 4 slightly outperforming 3.5. However, readability levels for both versions significantly exceeded the average 8th-grade reading level for American patients. ChatGPT 3.5 had a mean RGL of 18.08, while the mean RGL of ChatGPT 4 was 17.9, exceeding the average American reading grade level by 10.08 grade levels and 9.09 grade levels, respectively. While ChatGPT can provide both reliable and good quality information on ACL injuries and treatment options, the readability of the content may limit its utility. Additionally, the consistent lack of source citation represents a significant area of concern for patients and clinicians alike. If AI is to play a role in patient education, it must reliably produce information which is accurate, easily comprehensible, and clearly sourced.

A non-weight bearing protocol after ACL reconstruction improves static anterior tibial translation in patients with elevated slope and increased weight bearing tibial anterior translation

PURPOSE

Aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of a non-weight bearing (NWB) protocol within 21 post-operative days after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction on static and dynamic anterior tibial translations (SATT and DATT, respectively). The hypothesis is that delayed WB would improve ATT at 9 months follow-up.

METHODS

A series of patients treated with ACL reconstruction was retrospectively reviewed, comparing a group with immediate post-operative weight bearing (WB group) and a group without post-operative weight bearing (NWB group). The NWB protocol was applied to patients with posterior tibial slope (PTS) ≥ 12°, pre-operative SATT ≥ 5 mm, and/or meniscal lesions of root or radial type. SATT, and PTS were measured on 20° flexion monopodal lateral x-rays, while DATT on Telos™ x-rays at pre-operative and 9-months follow-up.

RESULTS

One hundred seventy-nine patients were included (50 NWB group, 129 WB group). The SATT worsened in the WB group with a mean increase of 0.7 mm (SD 3.1 mm), while in the NWB group, the SATT improved with a mean decrease of 1.4 mm (SD 3.1 mm) from the pre-operative to 9 months' follow-up (p < 0.001). The side-to-side Telos™ evaluation showed a significant improvement in DATT within both the groups (p < 0.001), but there was no difference between the two groups (p = 0.99).

CONCLUSION

The post-operative protocol of 21 days without WB led to an improvement in SATT at 9 months without an influence on DATT, and it is recommended for patients with a SATT ≥ 5 mm and/or a PTS ≥ 12° as part of an "à la carte" approach to ACL reconstruction.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, Retrospective case series.

Is remnant preservation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction superior to the standard technique? An overview of systematic reviews

BACKGROUND

Anterior cruciate ligament injury is a common knee joint injury. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a common surgical treatment to treat anterior cruciate ligament injury. It may have certain advantages to retain the ligament stump during the operation, but the results of systematic evaluation on whether to retain the ligament stump are different. The conclusion is still controversial, and the quality needs to be strictly evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the methodological quality, risk of bias, reporting quality and evidence quality of the systematic review of remnant preservation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and to provide reference for clinical work.

METHODS

We systematically searched the system evaluations in 8 electronic databases, the languages were limited to Chinese and English, and the time limit was from the establishment of the database to June 2023. Two reviewers independently screened literature and extracted data. The methodological quality, risk of bias, reporting quality and quality of evidence were evaluated by AMSTAR-2, ROBIS, PRISMA and GRADE tools.

RESULTS

A total of 14 systematic reviews were included. The evaluation of results showed that the methodological quality of the included systematic reviews was relatively low, of which 5 were low quality and 9 were critically low quality. A small number of systematic reviews were low risk of bias. The system evaluation reports are relatively complete, but the lack of program registration is a common problem. A total of 111 pieces of clinical evidence were extracted from the included 14 systematic reviews. The quality of evidence was generally low, with only 7 pieces of high-quality evidence, 45 pieces of medium-quality evidence, and the rest were low and very low-quality evidence. Among the reasons for relegation, imprecision is the most common, followed by inconsistency and indirectness. The existing evidence shows that patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with remnant preservation have certain advantages in knee joint function, joint stability and proprioception recovery, which may be a more effective surgical method. However, it may also increase the incidence of postoperative complications and adverse reactions.

CONCLUSION

Compared with Standard Technique, Remnant Preservation in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction has more advantages in restoring joint function and stability and proprioception. But the potential risks should also be considered by surgeons. At present, the quality of evidence is generally low, and the reliability of the conclusion is insufficient. It still needs to be verified and further in-depth research is needed.

Introduction of an easy-to-operate arthroscopic test in detecting and treatment of meniscal instability: "suction drift" test

OBJECTIVE

To explore the surgical guidance value of "suction drift" in osteoarticular meniscal instability.

METHODS

The clinical data of 104 patients with significant knee symptoms following surgery were retrospectively analyzed. "Suction drift" was diagnosed in both groups. Depending on the treatment, patients treated with conventional debridement were assigned to group A, and those treated by meniscus suture until the disappearance of the "suction drift" phenomenon were included in group B. All patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months after surgery. The postoperative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, Lysholm knee score and the occurrence of meniscus-related symptoms were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

After puncture, 78 patients (75.0%) had excessive displacement of the meniscus, with 53 (67.9%) of them being followed-up for at least 6 months. Twenty-five patients in group A and twenty-eight in group B were included in the final analysis (The number of patients with "suction drift" in two groups was tested to be comparable, P>0.05). VAS score was significantly decreased and Lysholm knee score was markedly increased in both groups after treatment, with lower VAS score and higher Lysholm knee score in group B compared with group A. In addition, group A had a significantly higher incidence of meniscus-related symptoms (joint space tenderness, joint clicks, and noose sensation) than group B.

CONCLUSIONS

"Suction drift" is a quick and easy-to-operate arthroscopic test, which can not only diagnose meniscus instability due to knee osteoarthrosis-induced meniscus degeneration, but also help determine the recovery of meniscus stability after suture, and significantly relieve symptoms.

Early Complication Analysis of Dynamic Intraligamentary Stabilization versus Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

PURPOSE

Both dynamic intraligamentary stabilization (DIS) and reconstruction (RECO) are common treatment methods for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. We report short term outcomes after DIS (Ligamys, Mathys, Bettlach, Switzerland) and RECO using semitendinosus tendon. We compared postoperative complications, deficits of range-of-motion (ROM), and revision rates between the two treatment options.

METHODS

A total of 690 patients (437 male, 253 female), after either DIS or RECO, were included. Of these, 147 patients (21%) received DIS and 543 (79%) underwent RECO. Follow-up examination focused on clinical examination, complications and revision rates. Anteroposterior instability and ROM deficits were analyzed in order to evaluate our policy of early intervention for all cases of ROM restrictions.

RESULTS

Relevant ROM restrictions occurred at a significantly higher rate after DIS than after RECO (4.8% vs. 1.3%; p = 0.008). Flexion was more restricted after DIS than RECO (110° vs. 124°, p < 0.001). Extension deficits also occurred more frequently after DIS compared to RECO (49.7% vs. 24.5%; p < 0.001). Total revision surgery rate was 9.1%, with patients after DIS being significantly more frequently affected (20.4% vs. 6.1%; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate a significantly higher risk for ROM restriction after DIS compared to RECO, resulting in a significantly higher revision rate.

Anatomical Tissue Engineering of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Entheses

The firm integration of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) grafts into bones remains the most demanding challenge in ACL reconstruction, since graft loosening means graft failure. For a functional-tissue-engineered ACL substitute to be realized in future, robust bone attachment sites (entheses) have to be re-established. The latter comprise four tissue compartments (ligament, non-calcified and calcified fibrocartilage, separated by the tidemark, bone) forming a histological and biomechanical gradient at the attachment interface between the ACL and bone. The ACL enthesis is surrounded by the synovium and exposed to the intra-articular micromilieu. This review will picture and explain the peculiarities of these synovioentheseal complexes at the femoral and tibial attachment sites based on published data. Using this, emerging tissue engineering (TE) strategies addressing them will be discussed. Several material composites (e.g., polycaprolactone and silk fibroin) and manufacturing techniques (e.g., three-dimensional-/bio-printing, electrospinning, braiding and embroidering) have been applied to create zonal cell carriers (bi- or triphasic scaffolds) mimicking the ACL enthesis tissue gradients with appropriate topological parameters for zones. Functionalized or bioactive materials (e.g., collagen, tricalcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite and bioactive glass (BG)) or growth factors (e.g., bone morphogenetic proteins [BMP]-2) have been integrated to achieve the zone-dependent differentiation of precursor cells. However, the ACL entheses comprise individual (loading history) asymmetric and polar histoarchitectures. They result from the unique biomechanical microenvironment of overlapping tensile, compressive and shear forces involved in enthesis formation, maturation and maintenance. This review should provide a road map of key parameters to be considered in future in ACL interface TE approaches.

Evaluation of Autografts Used in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Terms of Tensile Strength

Introduction Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries increase the likelihood of chronic knee problems in later years, including early onset osteoarthritis. Therefore, ACL treatment is important in preventing knee problems from developing. The treatment of choice for ACL tears is surgery (ACL reconstruction), and the most popular tendons for ACL reconstruction are the patellar tendon, hamstring tendon (semitendinosus and gracilis tendons), and bone-patellar tendon-bone. The present study compares the tensile strength of autografts used in ACL reconstruction to identify the optimum autograft for ACL in terms of mechanical properties. Methods Cadavers were dissected, and the Achilles tendons, quadriceps tendons, hamstring tendons (semitendinosus and gracilis tendons), patellar tendon grafts, and ACLs were harvested. Tensile tests of each tendon graft were performed using a Shimadzu Autograph AG-IS 100 kN tester (Shimadzu, Kyoto, Japan). Results The mean difference in tensile strength between ACL and other grafts was lowest for the quadriceps in both males and females (p ˂ 0.001), meaning that ACL and quadriceps grafts are more compatible than other tendon grafts in terms of tensile strength. Conclusion The present study found the lowest mean difference in tensile strength to be between the ACL and the quadriceps tendon, suggesting that the use of the quadriceps tendon in ACL reconstruction will yield more positive outcomes.

Brace-Free Rehabilitation after Isolated Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction with Hamstring Tendon Autograft Is Not Inferior to Brace-Based Rehabilitation-A Randomised Controlled Trial

PURPOSE

The postoperative use of a rehabilitative knee brace after isolated primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) using a hamstring tendon (HT) autograft is controversial. A knee brace may provide subjective safety but can cause damage if applied incorrectly. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a knee brace on clinical outcomes following isolated ACLR using HT autograft.

METHODS

In this prospective randomised trial, 114 adults (32.4 ± 11.5 years, 35.1% women) underwent isolated ACLR using HT autograft after primary ACL rupture. Patients were randomly assigned to wear either a knee brace (n = 58) or no brace (n = 56) for 6 weeks postoperatively. An initial examination was performed preoperatively, and at 6 weeks and 4, 6, and 12 months. The primary endpoint was the subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score to measure participants' subjective perceptions. Secondary endpoints included objective knee function assessed by IKDC, instrumented knee laxity measurements, isokinetic strength tests of the knee extensors and flexors, Lysholm Knee Score, Tegner Activity Score, Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Return to Sport after Injury Score, and quality of life determined by Short Form-36 (SF36).

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant or clinically meaningful differences in IKDC scores between the two study groups (3.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.39 to 7.97, p = 0.03 for evidence of non-inferiority of brace-free compared with brace-based rehabilitation). The difference in Lysholm score was 3.20 (95% CI -2.47 to 8.87); the difference in SF36 physical component score 0.09 (95% CI -1.93 to 3.03). In addition, isokinetic testing did not reveal any clinically relevant differences between the groups (n.s.).

CONCLUSIONS

Brace-free rehabilitation is non-inferior to a brace-based protocol regarding physical recovery 1 year after isolated ACLR using HT autograft. Consequently, the use of a knee brace might be avoided after such a procedure.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level I, therapeutic study.

Three-dimensional reconstruction with dual-source computed tomography for evaluating graft deformation and bone tunnel position following reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament

OBJECTIVE

Considering the limitations of MRI and X-ray and few studies on the use of dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are limited, this study explored the clinical application of DSCT for three-dimensional reconstruction of graft deformation and bone tunnel position images following ACL reconstruction.

METHODS

The data of 123 patients who underwent single-bundle ACL reconstruction under arthroscopy from January 2017 to October 2021 were retrieved. Two weeks after surgery, DSCT was used to assess graft deformation and tunnel widening. Based on the positions of ACL graft deformation and bone tunnel, the patients were divided into a collision group (n = 35), posterior group (n = 37) and satisfactory group (n = 51). The groups were compared in terms of the relative position of the central point of the femoral tunnel (F_X, F_Y) and tibial tunnel (T_X, T_Y), the straight-line distances of the grafts (L), the sagittal plane angle (∠α), and the coronal plane angle (∠β) between the two bone tunnels.

RESULTS

Tx, Ty, ∠α and ∠β were significantly different among the three groups, while no difference in Fx, Fy and L were observed. Tx, Ty and ∠α were identified as independent risk factors for collisions between the graft and intercondylar notch. Ty and ∠α were independent risk factors for posterior deviation of tibial tunnel position.

CONCLUSION

DSCT demonstrated promising clinical applicability to evaluate graft deformation and bone tunnel position after reconstruction of ACL and could guide preoperative positioning and postoperative evaluation.

[Knee injuries in winter sports]

Winter sports represent a relevant entity for knee injuries due to their great popularity. In alpine skiing and snowboarding, knee joint injuries are the most common affected body regions, while in ice hockey they are in third place. Various accident mechanisms lead to different injury types and severities. In addition to medial collateral ligament injuries, anterior cruciate ligament injuries are of particular importance. In professional sports, severe combination injuries are more common. Therapy is exemplified using the anterior cruciate ligament rupture. The gold standard is replacement ligament surgery. The return-to-sport rate of 80% for skiing and snowboarding is comparable to summer sports such as football, basketball or baseball. For ice hockey, it is even better. Prevention is possible by targeted training programs, but also by optimizing the equipment and its adjustment.

Beurteilung des neuromuskulären Funktionszustands bei Berufssportlern

In den letzten Jahren wurden bedeutende Fortschritte in den chirurgischen Techniken, der postoperativen Rehabilitation und der Identifizierung von Risikofaktoren für eine zweite Verletzung des vorderen Kreuzbands (VKB) gemacht. Dies führte jedoch nicht zu einer Verringerung des sekundären VKB-Verletzungsrisikos. Die Wiederherstellung der anatomischen (operative Rekonstruktion) und anschließend insbesondere der trainingsbedingten funktionellen Stabilität sollte eine grundlegende Voraussetzung für die Rückkehr zu Pivot-Sportarten nach einer VKB-Verletzung sein. Das VKB hat eine bedeutende Rolle bei der Kniepropriozeption mit der Konsequenz einer eingeschränkten sensomotorischen Regulation im Verletzungsfall. Das Perturbationstraining stellt eine große Herausforderung in der spätrehabilitativen Phase nach VKB-Rekonstruktion dar. Die Diagnostik der Muskelaktivierung im Rehabilitationsverlauf nach VKB-Rekonstruktion hat deshalb eine enorme Bedeutung. Mit der entwickelten Software können Charakteristika der motorischen Einheiten knieführender Muskeln zeitnah objektiviert und somit eine mögliche Überlastung bei hochreaktivem Perturbationstraining im Rahmen der spätrehabilitativen Phase nach VKB-Rekonstruktion vermieden werden.

Cryotherapy in Anterior Cruciate Ligamentoplasty Pain: A Scoping Review

Cryotherapy is used in individuals in the postoperative period (PO) of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair, owing to its effects such as increased pain threshold, decreased cellular activity, and vasoconstriction. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of cryotherapy on pain intensity in the immediate PO of ACL reconstruction. A scoping review was performed in the databases: Cochrane, Embase, Lilacs, LIVIVO, PEDro, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science; and gray literature: Google Scholar, CAPES Thesis Database, and Open Grey. PRISMA recommendation was followed. Two blinded reviewers performed the selection of studies: Phase 1-reading of titles and abstracts and Phase 2-Reading of the full texts and disagreements resolved in consensus. The references of 701 studies were identified, 603 from the main databases and 98 from the gray literature. After removal of duplicates, 387 studies were left for Phase 1-reading of titles and abstracts according to eligibility criteria and for Phase 2-28 studies for reading of full texts. Two studies were excluded: one randomized clinical trial and another sandwich study. Finally, 15 studies were included in this review. Cryotherapy is effective in reducing pain intensity because there were reductions in the scores of subjective pain scales in the immediate PO of ACL reconstruction. Cryocompression was shown to be superior to conventional cryotherapy.

[Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physiotherapeutic and medical follow-up care after reconstructions of the anterior cruciate ligament]

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of the COVID-19(coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic on the medical and physiotherapeutic follow-up care after reconstructions of the anterior cruciate ligament.

METHODS

116 patients (72 men and 44 women) who had received a reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament between September 2019 and December 2020 were included in this study. These patients were divided into two groups depending on the date of surgery: one group that had received surgery in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic and one group that had undergone surgery in 2020 and was directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. All patients were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire regarding the influence of the coronavirus pandemic on the medical and physiotherapeutic follow-up care, as well as the moment of return to work. In addition, the range of motion of the respective knee 3 months postoperatively was analysed based on physical examination.

RESULTS

At 3 months postoperatively, patients who had undergone surgery in 2020 showed a clear trend towards a higher frequency of extension deficits of ≥ 5° (18.8% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.097) or an inability to bend the knee ≥ 120° (23.3% vs. 10%, p = 0.197) compared to those who had received surgery in 2019. Patients who had undergone surgery in 2020 reported significantly longer delays for appointments, a higher number of futile attempts to get an appointment and a higher number of cancelled appointments, regarding both medical and physiotherapeutic follow-up care. 34.9% of the patients who received surgery in 2020 indicated that they were able to reduce the duration of their sick leave due to the increased possibilities of working in a home-office situation during the pandemic. Alternative treatment options due to the pandemic were offered by 13.3% of the physiotherapists and 12.2% of the physicians.

CONCLUSION

Although the physiotherapeutic and medical follow-up care was not directly affected by a "lockdown", the pandemic led to significant restrictions, which are also reflected in a clear trend towards worse clinical outcomes. Consequently, a further expansion of alternative treatment options, which were only offered by 12-13% of practices and that are presumably of comparable relevance for various other diseases, is needed.

[Research progress of internal tension relieving technique in assisting anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction]

Objective

To review the research progress of internal tension relieving technique in assisting anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with tendon grafts.

Methods

The in vivo and in vitro biomechanical tests, animal experiments, and clinical studies on the use of internal tensioning relieving technique assisted ACL reconstruction in recent years were extensively reviewed, the impact of this technology on the biomechanics, histological changes of grafts, and the clinical effectiveness were analyzed and summarized.

Results

The internal tensioning relieving technique based on non-absorbable high-strength sutures can reduce the risk of relaxation and rupture by enhancing the biomechanical strength of tendon grafts in vitro and in vivo, it shows good biocompatibility and support for the ligamentation of the tendon grafts and the establishment of the direct tendon-bone interface in terms of histology. This technique improves postoperative initial joint stability, range of motion, and functional scores in clinical practic, when combining with the enhanced recovery after surgery can effectively promote patients to return to pre-injury exercise level without serious complications.

Conclusion

The preliminary research results have confirmed the efficacy and safety of the internal tension relieving technique on assisting ACL reconstruction, then showes some degree of significance and prospect, but more research is needed to further optimize tension-relieving devices and related surgical techniques, and clarify the specific effects of this technique on graft's structure remodeling, biomechanical function, and long-term clinical results.