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Purpose: The main goal of this work was to evaluate the pivot shift test in awake and anesthetized patients by using two different quantitative methodologies and comparing the results with the standard clinical grading, taking advantage of a multicenter international study.Methods: Patients between 16 and 50 years of age undergoing primary unilateral single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction were considered eligible. The pivot shift test was performed pre-operatively, with the patient awake and again with the patient under general anaesthesia. The pivot shift test was clinically graded as defined by the International Knee Documentation Committee. The instrumented assessment was performed by using two non-invasive acquisition systems; specifically, a system exploiting an inertial sensor and a video-based application developed on a commercial tablet using skin markers. Lateral compartment translation and the tibial acceleration reached during joint reduction were used as quantitative parameters.Results: A total of 103 patients were enrolled in the study. Statistically significant difference was found between the distributions of clinical grade evaluated in awake patients and those under general anaesthesia (P < 0.01). Comparing awake patients to those under general anaesthesia, lower values were found both for tibial acceleration (3.7 ± 1.5 vs 6.0 ± 4.6 m/s2, P < 0.01) and lateral compartment translation of the involved limb (2.2 ± 1.7 vs 3.0 ± 2.2 mm, P < 0.01).Conclusions: This study indicated that significant differences in the grading of the pivot shift test exist between awake and anesthetized patients, regardless of the use of quantitative instruments during the evaluation. Actual clinical assessment reported indeed its weakness, presenting subjective variability and dependence on tester's experience. However, several factors might influence the validity of awake examination such as experience level of examiner and cultural factors, as seen in this international multicenter study.Level Of Evidence: Prospective comparative study, Level II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To externally validate a nomogram based on ovarian reserve markers as a tool to optimize the FSH starting dose in IVF/ICSI cycles.Study Design: A two-centres retrospective study including 398 infertile women undergoing their first IVF/ICSI cycle (June 2013-June 2014). IVF data were retrieved from two independent IVF centres in Italy (San Raffaele Hospital, Centre 1; Verona Hospital, Centre 2). A central lab for the routine measurement of AMH and FSH was used for both centres. All women were treated based on physical and hormonal characteristics according to locally adopted protocols. The nomogram was then retrospectively applied to the patients comparing the calculated starting dose to the one actually given.Results: In Centre 1, 64/131 women (48.8%) had an ovarian response below the target. While 45 of these patients were treated with a maximal FSH starting dose (≥225 IU), n=19/131 (14.5%) were treated with a submaximal dose. The vast majority of them (n=17/19) would have received a higher FSH starting dose by using the nomogram. Seventeen patients (n=17/131) had hyper response and about half of them would have been treated with a reduced FSH starting dose according to the nomogram. In Centre 2, 142/267 patients (53.2%) had an ovarian response below the target. While 136 of these were treated with a maximal FSH starting dose (≥225 IU), n=6/267 were treated with a submaximal dose. The majority of them (n=5/6) would have received a higher FSH starting dose. Thirty-two (n=32/267) patients had hyper response and more than half of them would have been treated with a reduced FSH dose.Conclusion: In both Centres, applying the nomogram would have resulted in more appropriate FSH starting doses compared to the the ones actually given based on clinicians choices. The use of an objective algorithm based on patient's age, serum FSH and AMH levels may thus be an effective advice on the selection of the tailored FSH starting dose. Hence, the use of this easily available nomogram could increase the proportion of patients achieving the optimal ovarian response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare outcomes of acromioclavicular (AC) joint reconstruction with ligament augmentation and reconstruction system (LARS) ligament in professional and non-professional athletes at 2-year minimum follow-up.Methods: Forty-three patients (men; mean age 30, range 19-54 years) with Rockwood type III to V chronic AC joint dislocations underwent AC joint reconstruction with LARS ligament and standardized rehabilitation. Patients were divided into two groups: professionals (22) and non-professionals (21). Clinical and radiological evaluations were performed preoperatively, at 3- and 24-month follow-up.Results: All clinical (Oxford and Constant) scores and patient satisfaction improved significantly from preoperative to follow-up intervals (p < 0.00001). However, professionals showed nonsignificant improvements from 3- to 24-month follow-up in Constant. Although groups differed preoperatively in Constant (p = 0.037), they were not different in preoperative-to-postoperative differences in clinical scores, postoperative final satisfaction and median time to return to unrestricted activity [4 (interquartiler range 3-5) months to return to full sport in professionals]. Follow-up radiographs revealed an AC joint ratio (clavicle inferior-to-superior translation as ratio of AC joint height) of 0.09 and 0.16 in 8/22 professionals, 0.19 and 0.31 in 9/21 non-professionals, 0.14 and 0.24 in 17/43 overall patients at 3- and 24-month follow-up, respectively. Slight loss of reduction (0.25 < AC joint ratio < 0.50): 21 %. There were no significant clinical-radiographic correlations. Complication: one coracoid fracture at follow-up and one wound infection.Conclusions: AC joint reconstruction with LARS ligament did not reveal differences in clinical outcomes between groups, with 2 % of failures (re-dislocations) at 2-year minimum follow-up. Superior radiological outcomes in professionals were not correlated to clinical results.Level Of Evidence: Therapeutic study-prospective comparative study, Level II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of graft sources have been used for ACL reconstruction to improve functions and kinematics in ACL deficient knees. The two most commonly used autogenous grafts are the central third of the patellar tendon and the hamstring tendon constructs. The choice of different grafts and different construct influence the final clinical outcome of ACL reconstruction. The 3 groups, of 25 patients each, were generated by choosing the technique (PT tendon, 4 strand hamstring, and single hamstring plus extraarticular plasty) to utilize and followed for 5 years, with an alternate systematic sampling. Our comparison has shown significant kneeling pain in the patellar tendon with respect to the groups with hamstrings techniques. Single hamstring plus extraarticular plasty achieved subjective score significantly higher with respect to the other two groups as well as for the time to resume sport. The study confirms that patellar tendon and hamstring can be equivalent options for ACL reconstruction. This study demonstrated that a superior outcome as far as subjective clinical findings were concerned, was obtained in group III. Patients in the latter group were also able to return to sports sooner than those in the bone-patellar tendon graft group and the four-strand hamstring group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]