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Purpose: This study examined the degree of cartilage regeneration by performing second-look arthroscopy in a group of patients who underwent high tibial osteotomy and microfractures for unicompartmental osteoarthritis of the medial knee joint and to determine the factors affecting cartilage regeneration. In addition, this study analyzed whether there is a relationship between the degree of cartilage regeneration and functional results. Materials and Methods: From 2007 to 2015, this study evaluated 81 cases who underwent second-look arthroscopy at the time of plate removal after a microfracture and high tibial osteotomy with a minimum two-year follow-up. The degree of femoral cartilage injury before surgery was classified by ICRS (International Cartilage Research Society), and all were grade III and IV. After second-look arthroscopy, cartilage regeneration was classified into a well-regenerated group (grade I, II) and a poorly regenerated group (grade III, IV). The independent factors influencing cartilage regeneration were identified through multivariate logistic regression analysis. In addition, the functional results were compared before and after surgery between the two groups using the Knee Society score (KSS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score (WOMAC). Results: Age, sex, body mass index, postoperative radiologic factors, and preoperative joint condition did not affect the degree of cartilage regeneration significantly. The large cartilage defect (≥2.0 cm2) (p=0.011) and the presence of kissing lesions (p=0.027) were associated with poor cartilage regeneration. No significant difference in the KSS and WOMAC scores was observed between the group with good and poor cartilage regeneration. Conclusion: The presence of a large cartilage defect and kissing lesions is associated with poor cartilage regeneration after high tibial osteotomy and microfracture. On the other hand, the degree of the regenerated cartilage did not show any correlation with the functional outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with chronic lateral ankle instability often experience a range of associated injuries. The well-known comorbidities include intra-articular pathologies (osteochondral lesion, soft tissue or bony impingement, and loose body), peroneal tendon pathologies, neural injuries, and other extra-articular pathologies. Surgeons should have a high index of suspicion for these associated pathologies before operative intervention, correlate the clinical findings, and plan the treatment. Despite the restoration of ankle stability following ligament repair or reconstruction surgery, a high prevalence (13%~35%) of postoperative residual pain has been reported. This pain can negatively affect the clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. This study examined the causes of persistent pain after surgical treatments for chronic ankle instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone marrow aspirate concentrate and matrix-induced chondrogenesis (BMIC) is an interesting treatment option for osteochondral lesions of the talus with promising short- to mid-term results. The various terminologies used to describe this surgical method need to be addressed. These include bone marrow-derived cell transplantation, matrix-induced bone marrow aspirate concentrate, and matrix-associated stem cell transplantation. BMIC is a one-stage, minimally invasive surgery performed arthroscopically or using a mini-open arthrotomy approach without a malleolar osteotomy in most cases. The lesion is replaced with hyaline-like cartilage, and treatment-related complications are rare. BMIC is a safe and effective treatment option and should be considered in large lesions or lesions with a prior treatment history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT) is a broad term used to describe an injury or abnormality of the talar articular cartilage and adjacent bone. Various terms are used to describe this clinical entity, including osteochondritis dissecans, osteochondral fractures, and osteochondral defects. Several treatment options are available; the choice of treatment is based on the type and size of the defect and the treating clinician's preference. Arthroscopic microfracture (a bone marrow stimulation technique) is a common and effective surgical strategy in patients with small lesions or in those in whom non-operative treatment has failed. This study had the following aims: 1) to review the historical background, etiology, and classification systems of OLT; 2) to describe a systematic approach to arthroscopic bone marrow stimulation for OLT; and 3) to determine the characteristics that are useful for assessing osteochondral lesions, including age, size, type (chondral, subchondral, cystic), stability, displacement, location, and containment of the lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the various surgical treatment methods for osteochondral lesions of the talus, autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) is a useful procedure in cases of a large defect, subchondral cyst, and failed primary bone marrow stimulation procedure. Although bone marrow stimulation alone may not regenerate the damaged plate sufficiently, AOT has the advantage of being able to replace the subchondral bone plate and cartilage with a new one at a same time. Nevertheless, postoperative cyst formation or pain may persist and donor site morbidity is still a limitation of AOT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the various surgical treatment methods for osteochondral lesions of the talus, autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) is a useful procedure in cases of a large defect, subchondral cyst, and failed primary bone marrow stimulation procedure. Although bone marrow stimulation alone may not regenerate the damaged plate sufficiently, AOT has the advantage of being able to replace the subchondral bone plate and cartilage with a new one at a same time. Nevertheless, postoperative cyst formation or pain may persist and donor site morbidity is still a limitation of AOT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many articles on operative treatment strategies for osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) have been published. On the other hand, there are only a few reports on the conservative treatment of OLT. Understanding the natural history of OLT is essential to establishing the correct treatment. Conservative treatment might lead to comparable clinical outcomes compared to the current options of the operative treatment in isolated OLT lesions. OLT lesions can be divided into two (or possibly three) types. Hence, the prognosis and outcome of certain operative treatments should be evaluated further. The prognosis of OLT combined with instability or malalignment appears poorer than that of isolated OLT lesions. Therefore, concomitant pathologies should be evaluated together when treating patients with OLT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT) is a broad term used to describe an injury or abnormality of the talar articular cartilage and adjacent bone. Various terms are used to describe this clinical entity, including osteochondritis dissecans, osteochondral fractures, and osteochondral defects. Several treatment options are available; the choice of treatment is based on the type and size of the defect and the treating clinician's preference. Arthroscopic microfracture (a bone marrow stimulation technique) is a common and effective surgical strategy in patients with small lesions or in those in whom non-operative treatment has failed. This study had the following aims: 1) to review the historical background, etiology, and classification systems of OLT; 2) to describe a systematic approach to arthroscopic bone marrow stimulation for OLT; and 3) to determine the characteristics that are useful for assessing osteochondral lesions, including age, size, type (chondral, subchondral, cystic), stability, displacement, location, and containment of the lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic foot ulcers can progress to the point where amputation is needed, and so these ulcers require active treatment. Skin grafts or flaps can be performed for coverage of this type of ulcer. Local flap surgery is relatively easy to perform and good results have been previously reported. We performed single-lobed rotation flap on 5 cases of forefoot ulcer around the site of weight bearing. The location of the foot ulcers was the medial part of the first metatarsophalangeal joint in all the patients. The mean size of the defect was 4.70 cm2. Managing of ulcers, controlling of diabetes and infection, and improving of peripheral blood flow were performed before surgery. In two cases, infection progressed to the articular cartilage and so metatarsophalangeal joint fusions were performed simultaneously. All the cases were completely transplanted. There was no recurrence of the ulcers, and all the patients were able to walk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An osteochondral fracture is considered to be an injury involving the cartilage and subchondral bone. Acute traumatic osteochondral fractures can be related to joint instability because abnormal joint motion causes shearing and rotatory stress. Acute osteochondral fractures are frequently missed or misdiagnosed as a pure soft tissue injury. Thus, surgeons' proactive attention is highly required as articular cartilage has limited potential for self-repair and these lesions may develop osteoarthritis. In order to minimize the progression of posttraumatic osteoarthritis, it is important to properly identify and treat osteochondral fractures. Yet, little is known about the operative management of acute osteochondral fractures of the talus. We report here on a case of a middle-aged male with acute osteochondral fractures of the bilateral lateral talar dome. We applied different operative methods on each side with regard to fragment size and stability. A favorable clinical outcome was obtained at 18 months follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate if the Ilizarov external fixation procedure with axial compression can help to obtain fusion across the ankle joint in patients with a high risk of nonunion. Materials and Methods: From January 2006 to December 2015, the study reviewed 17 patients who underwent ankle arthropathy with a high risk of nonunion and who underwent ankle fusion using the Ilizarov external fixator with axial compression and auto bone grafting. After the lateral surface of the ankle joint was exposed through a lateral trans-fibular approach, massive removal of the articular cartilage and excision of any loose or avascular bone were done. With the cortical bone harvested from the pelvis as corticocancellous bone blocks, we inserted the two cortical blocks longitudinally into the anterior and posterior part of the free ankle space from lateral to medial to make the rectangular chamber to fill the cancellous bones. After the Ilizarov external fixator was equipped, we tightened the frame by 5 mm to compress the bone graft space. We accessed the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle- Hindfoot score both preoperatively and postoperatively. Results: The average age at the time of operation was 63.4 years (range, 47-78 years). The mean frame time was 17.4 weeks (range, 15- 23 weeks). The average follow-up period was 3.7 years (range, 2-6 years). Osseous fusion was obtained in 15 patients (88.2%). There were two stable pseudarthroses among the rheumatoid arthritis patients, and we continued their follow-up. The mean AOFAS Ankle- Hindfoot score improved from 48.5 to 73.7 points. Conclusion: Ankle arthrodesis using the Ilizarov external fixation with axial compression and auto bone grafting on the ankle arthropathy that had difficult conditions to achieve union is considered one of the useful methods with a correspondingly low incidence of complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Akin osteotomy is a complimentary procedure in hallux valgus surgery. Surgical techniques may vary depending on the operators or fixation devices. Suture fixation, for which a removal procedure is not necessary, can often be recommended. However, there is a risk of failure due to the thin cortex of the phalanx. We describe a new technique using Ethibond suture fixation in Akin osteotomy, which can lower the risk of phalangeal cortical failure and articular cartilage irritation. First, the Akin osteotomy was performed on the proximal phalanx 5 to 6 mm distal to the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Then bone holes were drilled from dorsum to plantar parallel to osteotomy with the Kirschner wire. The final procedure involved passing the Ethibond sutures connected to a straight needle through the holes and tying it. This fixation method offers an effective and easy technique for performance of Akin osteotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Navigation systems are currently being widely used in orthopedic surgery. The mechanical axis alignment can be judged accurately via a navigation system. High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is a procedure that aims to change the mechanical axis of the lower limb, transferring the body weight across healthy articular cartilage. Several studies have shown that accurate correction is the leading predictor for success. And, by using a navigation system, accurate multiplane measurements of the lower limb alignment can be performed intraoperatively in real time, and alignment adjustments can be made as the surgeon desires. Compared with the conventional cable-method, computer navigation significantly improves the accuracy of postoperative leg axis, reduces correction variability with fewer outliers, and reduces radiation time. This paper reviews the advantages, clinical results, complications, pitfalls, and posterior tibial slope control in navigation guided open wedge HTO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]