Osteointegration of soft tissue grafts within the bone tunnels in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction can be enhanced

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with a soft tissue autograft (hamstring autograft) has grown in popularity in the last 10 years. However, the issues of a relatively long healing time and an inferior histological healing result in terms of Sharpey-like fibers connection in soft tissue grafts are still unsolved. To obtain a promising outcome in the long run, prompt osteointegration of the tendon graft within the bone tunnel is essential. In recent decades, numerous methods have been reported to enhance osteointegration of soft tissue graft in the bone tunnel. In this article, we review the current literature in this research area, mainly focusing on strategies applied to the local bone tunnel environment. Biological strategies such as stem cell and gene transfer technology, as well as the local application of specific growth factors have been reported to yield exciting results. The use of biological bone substitute and physical stimulation also obtained promising results. Artificially engineered tissue has promise as a solution to the problem of donor site morbidity. Despite these encouraging results, the current available evidence is still experimental. Further clinical studies in terms of randomized control trial in the future should be conducted to extrapolate these basic science study findings into clinical practice. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.postprin

Resorbable screws versus pins for optimal transplant fixation (SPOT) in anterior cruciate ligament replacement with autologous hamstring grafts: rationale and design of a randomized, controlled, patient and investigator blinded trial [ISRCTN17384369]

BACKGROUND: Ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are common injuries to the knee joint. Arthroscopic ACL replacement by autologous tendon grafts has established itself as a standard of care. Data from both experimental and observational studies suggest that surgical reconstruction does not fully restore knee stability. Persisting anterior laxity may lead to recurrent episodes of giving-way and cartilage damage. This might at least in part depend on the method of graft fixation in the bony tunnels. Whereas resorbable screws are easy to handle, pins may better preserve graft tension. The objective of this study is to determine whether pinning of ACL grafts reduces residual anterior laxity six months after surgery as compared to screw fixation. DESIGN/ METHODS: SPOT is a randomised, controlled, patient and investigator blinded trial conducted at a single academic institution. Eligible patients are scheduled to arthroscopic ACL repair with triple-stranded hamstring grafts, conducted by a single, experienced surgeon. Intraoperatively, subjects willing to engage in this study will be randomised to transplant tethering with either resorbable screws or resorbable pins. No other changes apply to locally established treatment protocols. Patients and clinical investigators will remain blinded to the assigned fixation method until the six-month follow-up examination. The primary outcome is the side-to-side (repaired to healthy knee) difference in anterior translation as measured by the KT-1000 arthrometer at a defined load (89 N) six months after surgery. A sample size of 54 patients will yield a power of 80% to detect a difference of 1.0 mm ± standard deviation 1.2 mm at a two-sided alpha of 5% with a t-test for independent samples. Secondary outcomes (generic and disease-specific measures of quality of life, magnetic resonance imaging morphology of transplants and devices) will be handled in an exploratory fashion. CONCLUSION: SPOT aims at showing a reduction in anterior knee laxity after fixing ACL grafts by pins compared to screws

Antimicrobial coating is associated with significantly lower aerobic colony counts in high-touch areas in an orthopedic ward environment

Background Hospital acquired infections (HAI) are the most common complication found in the hospital environment. The aim of the study was to examine whether the use of an antimicrobial coating in high-touch areas in an orthopedic ward could reduce bacterial growth and HAI. Methods From December 2017 to February 2018, HAI were registered on two orthopedic wards. A second registration was performed from December 2018 to February 2019. On the second occasion, an antimicrobial organosilane coating was applied just before the study period and thereafter weekly on one ward, while the other ward served as a control. Twenty defined high-touch areas on each ward were cultured before treatment and after 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 14 and 16 weeks. Samples were cultured for aerobic colony counts, Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. Results The total aerobic colony counts were 47% lower on the treated ward compared with the non-treated ward over the study period (p = 0.02). The colony counts for Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli were low on both wards. During the first registration period, the incidence of HAI was 22.7% and 20.0% on the non-treated and subsequently treated ward respectively. On the second occasion, after treatment, the incidence was 25.0% and 12.5% (treated ward) respectively (p = 0.0001). Conclusions The use of a long-lasting antimicrobial organosilane coating appears to reduce the bioburden and reduce HAI. Since the incidence of HAI varies substantially over time, longer observation times are needed

Right and left knee laxity measurements: a prospective study of patients with anterior cruciate ligament injuries and normal control subjects

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare knee laxity in a group of patients with a unilateral right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture and a group of patients with a unilateral left ACL rupture. Another goal was to analyze and compare the knee laxity of the right and left knees in a group of persons without any known knee problems. TYPE OF STUDY: Prospective examination of the same patients preoperatively and 2 years after the reconstruction with examination of the healthy controls at 2 different occasions. METHODS: Group A was composed of 41 patients with a right-sided chronic ACL rupture, and group B was composed of 44 patients with a left-sided chronic ACL rupture. All patients underwent an arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using patellar tendon autograft. Group C was composed of 35 persons without any known knee problems. One experienced physiotherapist performed all the KT-1000 measurements and the clinical examinations. RESULTS: Group A displayed an increased difference in side-to-side laxity between the injured and non-injured side compared with group B in terms of both anterior and total knee laxity. This difference was found to be statistically significant preoperatively (P =.01, anterior; P =.001, total) and at follow-up evaluation 2 years after the index surgery (P =.008, anterior; P =.006, total). In group C, a significant increase was seen in absolute anterior and total laxity in the right knee compared with the left knee when 2 repeated measurements were performed (P <.0001 and P =.003, anterior; P <.0001 and P =.001, total). CONCLUSIONS: The KT-1000 arthrometer revealed a significant increase in laxity measurements in right knees compared with left knees. This difference was found both preoperatively and postoperatively in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction. The same thing was found in a group of persons without any known knee problems. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II

Absorbable implants for open shoulder stabilization. A 7-8-year clinical and radiographic follow-up

Eighteen consecutive patients who had recurrent, unidirectional, post-traumatic shoulder instability were included. All these patients underwent surgery using an open Bankart technique involving absorbable suture anchors. The median age at the index operation was 27 (16-50) years. One subluxation and two re-dislocations occurred during the follow-up period of 90 (80-95) months. At the 90-month control, the Rowe and Constant scores were 94 (63-100) points and 88.5 (65-100) points, respectively. The strength measurements on the index side in 90 degrees abduction revealed 8.1 (3.7-17.2) kg compared with 7.6 (2.7-17.6) kg on the contra lateral side (n.s.). The external rotation in abduction was 80 (60-95) degrees compared with 100 (70-120) degrees for the contra lateral side (p = 0.0015). Signs of minor or moderate degeneration were found in five of 18 patients (28%) on the preoperative radiographs. There was a significant continuous increase in degenerative changes during the follow-up period as seen on the seven, 33 and 90-month radiographs (p = 0.01, 0.03 and 0.01, respectively). On the 90-month radiographs, 12 of 18 patients (67%) had minor, moderate or severe degenerative changes (p = 0.0004 preoperative vs. 90 months). On the 7-month radiographs, two of 18 patients (11%) had invisible or hardly visible drill holes in conjunction with the absorbable implants. On the 90-month radiographs, 12 of 18 patients (67%) had invisible or hardly visible drill holes (p = 0.003 7 months vs. 90 months). In the long term, the method resulted in stable, well-functioning shoulders in 15 of 18 patients (83%). The stabilisation was not, however, able to prevent further increases in radiographic degenerative changes during the 7-8-year follow-up. The drill holes used for the absorbable suture anchors appeared to heal in the majority of patients during the follow-up period

A prospective comparison of bone-patellar tendon-bone and hamstring grafts for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in female patients

The aim of the study is to compare the results after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using central-third, bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB group) (n = 28) and four-strand semitendinosus/gracilis (ST/G group) (n = 31) autografts in female patients. The type of study was non-randomised prospective consecutive series. A consecutive series of 61 female patients, all with unilateral ACL ruptures, was included in the study. In both groups, interference screw fixation of the graft was used at both ends, and 59/61 (97%) of the patients returned for the follow-up examination after a period of 26 (23-31) months. The pre-operative assessments in both groups were similar in terms of the Lysholm score, KT-1000 measurements, one-leg-hop test, and knee-walking test. At the 2-year follow-up, the knee-walking test was significantly worse in the BTB group than in the ST/G group (P = 0.003). Furthermore, the knee-walking test was significantly worse at follow-up than pre-operatively in the BTB group (P < 0.005). The corresponding finding was not made in the ST/G group. A reduction in knee laxity compared with the pre-operative assessments was found in both groups. No significant difference in the post-operative knee laxity measurement was found between the groups. A significant increase in activity level and subjective scores was found in both groups compared with pre-operative values, without any significant differences between the groups. Two years after ACL reconstruction, the groups displayed no significant differences in terms of functional outcome and knee laxity. However, the use of ST/G autografts rendered significantly less discomfort during the knee-walking test than the use of BTB autografts