Instability of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R F Warren.
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Coracoid impingement results from encroachment on the coracohumeral space, presenting as anterior shoulder pain and clicking, particularly in forward flexion, medial rotation, and adduction. In eight shoulders in seven patients, coracohumeral decompression by excision of the lateral 1.5 cm of the coracoid with re-attachment of the conjoined tendon gave pain relief in all, and complete relief in six. This procedure is described and recommended.
The advent of arthroscopy and advanced arthroscopic techniques has made meniscal repair the preferred approach for many meniscal tears. This article reviews the blood supply of the meniscus and discusses the supporting scientific evidence, decision making, and techniques for meniscal repair.
We used the KT-1000 arthrometer to test the knees of 107 patients who had an acute tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, 153 patients who had a chronic tear, and 141 control subjects, for a total of 401 individuals. The three testing parameters were the extent of anterior translation at eighty-nine newtons of force and at maximum manual force, and the compliance index. The differences between the involved and the uninvolved knees were calculated. At eighty-nine newtons, all but one of the control subjects had anterior translation of ten millimeters or less, compared with 58 per cent of the patients who had a chronic tear. At maximum manual force, all but two of the control subjects had translation of ten millimeters or less, compared with 20 per cent of the patients who had an acute or a chronic tear. Analysis of variance showed that the clinical diagnosis correlated well with the results for all tests (p less than 0.001). However, when the uninjured knees of patients who had an acute or a chronic tear were compared with the knees of the control subjects, significant differences were noted (p less than 0.001 to 0.006). In the patients who had a chronic tear, there was no relationship between the time from injury to operation and the extent of anterior translation. The arthrometric test at maximum manual force was the strongest discriminant; it differentiated normal from abnormal knees (p less than 0.001) with high sensitivity (92 per cent), high specificity (95 per cent), and high positive predictive accuracy; the cut-off point was eleven millimeters or less.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The medial menisci of 14 adult dogs were replaced using a cryopreserved meniscal allograft. The morphology and metabolic activity of the transplanted allografts were then evaluated using routine histology, a vascular-injection (Spalteholz) technique, and autoroentgenography (Na2(35)SO4 incorporation) at various intervals, from two weeks to six months postoperatively. After transplantation, the allografts retained their normal gross appearance and healed to the capsular tissues of the host by fibrovascular scar tissue. Histologically, the grafts demonstrated a decrease in the number of metabolically active cells after transplantation but had a normal cellular distribution and Na2(35)SO4 uptake by three months. The allografts appeared to function normally after transplantation. Although some degenerative changes were noted in the tibial articular cartilage not covered by the meniscus, the cartilage beneath the allograft appeared normal.
Meniscal injuries are frequently associated with acute injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). With the passage of time, this frequency increases significantly. The management of the torn meniscus varies with the type of lesion and the patient's goals. When possible, meniscus repair combined with ACL reconstruction is recommended in young, athletically active patients. Repair may be accomplished by open or closed techniques. Because of significant risks associated with arthroscopic approaches, an outside-in type of repair has been devised. Overall, the clinical success approaches 90% if the ACL is reconstructed. Failure rates of 30% to 40% ensue if the knee remains unstable.
Of forty-four patients who were treated by arthroscopic acromioplasty from July 1984 through August 1986, forty were available for analysis. The average age was 43.2 years, and 86 per cent of them had participated regularly in sports but were disabled due to symptoms of impingement. All patients had had a minimum of six months of non-operative therapy. The final diagnoses, which were based on the findings at arthroscopy and on clinical examination, plain radiographs, and arthrograms, were Stage-II impingement in twenty-four patients, a partial-thickness tear of the rotator cuff in six, and a full-thickness tear of the rotator cuff in ten. The shoulders were scored before the operation and again at follow-up. Preoperatively, thirty-six shoulders were rated as poor and four, as fair. After a minimum follow-up of twelve months (average, seventeen months), the scores had increased in all but one patient. The result was rated good or excellent in twenty-nine (73 per cent) of the forty patients: twenty of the twenty-four who had Stage-II impingement, four of the six who had a partial-thickness tear, and six of the ten who had a full-thickness tear. The over-all average time to return to work was nine days, and the average time to return to sports was 2.4 months. Of the thirty-three patients who had participated in sports, twenty-five (76 per cent) had returned to sports activity at the time of the most recent follow-up. The average time until full recovery was 3.8 months. There were no complications, and, over-all, thirty-eight (92 per cent) of the forty patients were satisfied with the result. In four patients, the result was a failure, and three of the four had a reoperation that relieved the symptoms.
We report our observation on the "empty wall" and "vertical strut" signs of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insufficiency. ACL tears most commonly occur in the midsubstance; arthroscopic evaluation of patients with these tears often reveals minimal evidence of previous ACL tissue along the intercondylar wall, thus giving the appearance of an "empty wall." In proximal ACL tears, the long remnant of ACL tissue may adhere to adjacent PCL tissue. Arthroscopically, one may see this vertically oriented strut of tissue, which to the casual arthroscopist may mimic a normal-appearing ACL except for orientation and tension. In addition, the "empty wall" sign will be noted because the lateral intercondylar wall becomes easily visible following ACL injury. In two separate prospective studies of 84 such patients, the combined incidence of the empty wall sign was 82%, and the incidence of the vertical strut sign was 50%. These findings should be sought for meticulously at the time of arthroscopic evaluation. The vertical strut should not be misinterpreted as an aberrantly oriented ACL or partial ACL tear.
The contact Nd:YAG laser's small size, tip variety, fiberoptic application, and suitability for use in a saline medium make it a particularly appealing tool for use in arthroscopic procedures. This study was performed to investigate the laser's effects on articular cartilage and meniscal tissue with respect to depth of damage (canine cadaver model) and healing response (rabbit model). Depth of damage in the canine cadaver model was greater in meniscal tissue than in articular cartilage at each wattage level. In the presence of a saline bath, depth damage in both tissues was diminished. Scalpel articular cartilage lesions showed no response over time. Electrocautery lesions uniformly showed significant wide margins of hyaline cartilage necrosis which increased over time. Laser articular cartilage lesions showed vigorous healing responses characterized by fibrocartilage healing by 6 weeks. Scalpel meniscectomies showed characteristic fibrocartilagenous remodeling by 6 weeks, while electrocautery meniscectomies showed wide margins of necrosis with no specimen showing remodeling capability. Laser meniscectomies showed an intermediate response with a small number of menisci remodeling in a normal fashion. This article represents the first comprehensive look at the effects of the Nd:YAG laser on articular cartilage and meniscal tissue in terms of depth of damage and healing response over time, and indicates this laser's biological advantage over scalpel and electrocautery in arthroscopic procedures.
Twenty-nine Neer-type total shoulder arthroplasties were performed in 26 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The average age was 55.5 years and the average follow-up period was 37 months. On a 100-point scoring system, the average preoperative score of 25 improved to 71 after surgery. The most significant improvement was noted in pain relief. Radiographs demonstrated nonprogressive radiolucent lines in 86% of the glenoid components and 31% of the humeral components. Surgical problems included bone loss of the glenoid, acromioclavicular joint arthritis, and rotator cuff tears, in 7 of 29 shoulders. Follow-up study demonstrated poorer results for patients with rotator cuff tears. However, significant pain relief was achieved in 93% of our patients, despite limited functional improvements.
Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints in the elderly. The rewards of accurate diagnosis and early treatment often elude the orthopaedist without a systematic approach to this region. A thorough understanding of shoulder anatomy, pain referral patterns, and the pathophysiology of the aging process must be combined with an awareness of the latest treatment modalities and surgical techniques.
The arthroscope is a valuable adjunct in the diagnosis and treatment of shoulder instability. Throwing athletes with shoulder pain, and those with subluxation in particular, may require diagnostic arthroscopy to clarify the instability pattern. Labral debridement, if confined to the portion above the equator of the glenoid, can provide symptomatic relief. Arthroscopic stabilization of the shoulder is still in an evolutionary phase. No long-term data exist as to which technique or material provides the most secure fixation. All of these techniques are technically demanding and require a skilled arthroscopist.
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Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints in the elderly. The rewards of accurate diagnosis and early treatment often elude the orthopaedist without a systematic approach to this region. A thorough understanding of shoulder anatomy, pain referral patterns, and the pathophysiology of the aging process must be combined with an awareness of the latest treatment modalities and surgical techniques.
Twenty-four patients who had posterior subluxation of the glenohumeral joint were assigned to one of two groups on the basis of the severity of the symptoms. The sixteen patients in Group I, who had less severe symptoms, were treated with a physical therapy program that was based on exercises to strengthen muscles. The eleven patients in Group II (three of whom had no success with physical therapy when they were originally in Group I) had a posterior capsulorrhaphy, with or without a bone block. According to an over-all rating, Group I had a rate of success of 63 per cent, and Group II had a rate of success of 91 per cent. The patients who had more severe ligamentous laxity were not more likely to fail either of the treatment programs. Although voluntary subluxation may be a subtle but important indicator of underlying emotional difficulties, it appears that, in the patient who is emotionally stable, the ability to voluntarily subluxate the shoulder posteriorly is not associated with a negative prognosis for either non-surgical or surgical treatment. Patients who have moderately disabling posterior subluxation of the shoulder should be treated with an intensive program that is designed to strengthen muscles. Patients who have symptoms that are severely disabling or who have had no success with non-operative treatment should be treated with posterior capsulorrhaphy. When the posterior aspect of the glenoid is severely deficient and when the posterior portion of the capsule or the infraspinatus tendon is attenuated, a bone block should augment the reconstruction.
With the use of a five-degrees-of-freedom testing apparatus, we studied changes in the motion of the knees of cadavera after isolated resection of the lateral meniscus, with section of the anterior cruciate ligament and resection of the medial meniscus. Primary anterior and posterior translations were not affected by lateral meniscectomy. When lateral meniscectomy was done in addition to resection of the anterior cruciate ligament, anterior translation did not increase compared with that measured after isolated section of the anterior cruciate ligament. However, when the means of the paired differences in anterior translation were compared, a significant increase was found. This differed from the results after excision of the medial meniscus and section of the anterior cruciate ligament; in that situation, medial meniscectomy resulted in significantly more anterior translation.
This study evaluated the effect of cryopreservation on the structural organization, biosynthetic activity, and material properties of canine menisci. The menisci were cryopreserved by incubating them in a 4% solution of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in physiologic media and freezing them to -100 degrees C using a controlled rate freezing system. The menisci were then stored for varying periods of time from zero to 12 weeks in liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees C). Following rapid thawing, changes in the histological appearance and biosynthetic activity of the menisci were evaluated as functions of storage time. In addition, the effects of the cryopreservation process on the tensile strength and modulus of the meniscal tissue were assessed. Although cryopreservation and short-term storage did not appear to affect the morphological appearance or biomechanical character of the menisci, biosynthetic activity, as determined by Na2S35SO4 incorporation, was diminished to less than 50% of normal control values immediately following cryopreservation and thawing. Autoradiographic examination of these tissues revealed that only approximately 10% of the meniscal cells were metabolically active, however, indicating that a marked increase in the metabolic activity of individual cells occurs following the freeze-thaw cycle. Total metabolic activity continued to decline with storage time.
We evaluated the use of the beach-chair, or sitting, position for arthroscopic shoulder surgery in 50 consecutive patients. Routine arthroscopy, arthroscopic subacromial decompression, and arthroscopic shoulder stabilizations were performed, with no complications. The advantages of this position include ease of setup, lack of brachial plexus strain because no traction is used, excellent intraarticular visualization for all types of arthroscopic shoulder procedures, and ease of conversion to the open approach if needed. The positioning technique is described.