Reduction Osteotomy of the Prominent Tibial Tubercle After Osgood-Schlatter Disease

Hyperosmolar dextrose injection for Osgood-Schlatter disease: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is one of the common causes of long-term knee pain, leading to functional limitations, long-term deformity of the tubercle interfering with kneeling, and impaired peer-important sport participation. Nonetheless, patient management continues to rely on the usual conservative methods. This study examined the use of hyperosmolar dextrose injection in patients with OSD.

METHODS

We conducted a randomized, double-blind clinical trial involving 70 patients with OSD. One group received a hyperosmolar dextrose injection (12.5%), while the other received a saline injection. The injections were conducted under ultrasound guidance. The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment (VISA) score was used to assess each patient's pain and sport level.

RESULTS

The dextrose group outperformed the saline group in improvement in the VISA-Patella (VISA-P) score from baseline to 3 months (27.1 ± 6.5 vs. 1.4 ± 2.6; mean difference 25.4 (22.4 to 28.3); p < .0001), 6 months (31.7 ± 7.9 vs. 25.2 ± 7.8; mean difference 6.2 (3.2 to 9.4); p < .0001), and 12 months (34 ± 9.0 vs. 28.2 ± 7.5; mean difference 5.5 (1.9 to 9.1); p = .0026). The changes in both groups were clinically important, suggesting that both therapies were active treatments. The dextrose group improved too rapidly for spontaneous improvement to explain much of this change.

CONCLUSION

After three injections, at the 6-month and 12-month follow-up visits, the VISA-P scores of the two groups were significantly improved; the dextrose group score was better than the saline group score, and there were significant differences between the two groups.

Arthroscopic Resection of Symptomatic Tibial Tubercle Ossicles for Recalcitrant Osgood-Schlatter Disease Using a 2-Portal Technique

Arthroscopic resection of symptomatic unfused tibial tubercle ossicles causing chronic anterior knee pain due to recalcitrant Osgood-Schlatter disease has been shown to be a reproducible arthroscopic technique. Although a number of other surgical techniques have been described, including ossicle excision and tubercle-plasty, drilling of the tibial tubercle, bone peg insertion to induce fusion, open excision of loose fragments, direct bursoscopic ossicle resection, and closing-wedge tubercle osteotomy, with varied outcomes, this technique offers a minimally invasive approach with low risk. Complications including injury to the patellar tendon and scarring of the anterior fat pad have been previously reported, but this approach can be performed with minimal fat pad debridement and direct visualization of the patellar tendon during all resections. This article presents a technique for arthroscopic resection and debridement of unfused ossicles in patients with chronic anterior knee pain due to Osgood-Schlatter disease by use of minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques that are used in standard knee arthroscopy and should be familiar to most arthroscopists.

Osgood-Schlatter disease: a 2020 update of a common knee condition in children

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is one of the most common causes for anterior knee pain in children and adolescents resulting from a traction apophysitis of the tibial tubercle. While a peak in boys aged 12-15 years old was well documented, there seems to be no difference in sex distribution nowadays. This may result from increased participation of young females in high-impact sports. This review provides an up-to-date account on contemporary prophylaxis as well as diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

RECENT FINDINGS

Numerous studies have examined risk factors for OSD. These include body weight, muscle tightness, muscle weakness during knee extension and flexibility of hamstring muscles. In particular, shortening of the rectus femoris may substantially alter biomechanical functions of the knee. Conservative management remains successful in over 90% of patients. However, if disabling symptoms and pain persistent after physeal closure, operative treatment may be necessary.

SUMMARY

OSD is a mostly self-limiting apophysitis of the tibial tubercle and the adjacent patella tendon in young active patients with open physis. Prevention strategies include quadriceps and hamstring stretching and therefore should be implemented in everyday practice routines for children who partake in regular sports activities.

No superiority of dextrose injections over placebo injections for Osgood-Schlatter disease: a prospective randomized double-blind study

PURPOSE

Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is a traction apophysitis of the tibial tuberosity. Patellar tendinopathy and deep infrapatellar bursitis have recently been shown to contribute to pain in patients with OSD. We compared the effects of dextrose injection and saline injection.

METHODS

We performed a clinical trial from April 2012 to January 2016 and included 49 knees from 37 boys and 1 girl (mean age, 12.3 ± 1.1 years) for whom conventional conservative therapy for > 1 month was ineffective. They were randomly assigned to receive double-blind injections of 1% lidocaine (1 mL) with 20% dextrose (1 mL; dextrose group) or 1% lidocaine (1 mL) with saline (1 mL; saline group). Injections were administered monthly for 3 months by a single investigator. The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment (VISA) score was used to evaluate anterior knee pain.

RESULTS

Overall, 43 knees were included; 6 knees were lost to follow-up. The mean pre-injection VISA scores in the dextrose and saline groups were 58.7 ± 18.3 and 63.4 ± 16.4, respectively. No significant differences were found between the two groups at any time point. The mean VISA score before injections significantly increased at the 1-month follow-up in both groups (P < .01). The injection had no adverse effects.

CONCLUSIONS

We were not able to show the efficacy of dextrose injections compared to that of saline.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Randomized controlled trial. Level I.

Intra-articular Large Ossicle Associated to Osgood-Schlatter Disease

Osgood–Schlatter disease (OSD) is known as a self-limiting condition but surgical excision of the ossicles may be required in adults resistant to conservative treatments. The ossicle associated to OSD is generally small and located outside the joint near the tibial tubercle; however, large or intra-articular ossicle has been reported rarely. Here, we report an unusual case of OSD with a separated, large-sized ossicle that protruded into the knee joint and treated by arthroscopy-assisted excision of the ossicle.

Editorial Commentary: Tibial Tubercle Prominence After Osgood-Schlatter Disease: What Causes Pain?

A novel surgical technique to reduce the tibial tubercle prominence in painful Osgood-Schlatter disease was piloted in a small cohort of patients with chronic anterior knee pain. Midterm results judged by patient-reported outcomes of pain and function show promise for this technique.