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Purpose: To (1) evaluate the efficacy of surgery for arthrofibrosis (AF), as measured by preoperative and postoperative range of motion (ROM), and (2) evaluate patient-reported outcomes at mid- to long-term follow-up. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of a prospectively collected database including patients who sustained multiligamentous knee injuries (MLKIs) managed surgically, sustained loss of ROM after surgical intervention, and underwent subsequent lysis of adhesions (LOA) and/or manipulation under anesthesia (MUA). Loss of ROM was defined as clinically symptomatic loss of terminal extension (flexion deformity) and/or flexion compared with the contralateral side. Results: In total, 12 patients (6 male and 6 female patients; age, 36.0 ± 8.7 years; body mass index, 36.3 ± 8.7) met the inclusion criteria and underwent LOA and/or MUA at a mean of 14 ± 27 months (median, 4.0 months; interquartile range, 3.5-9.3 months) after MLKI surgery. Prior to AF intervention, patients showed mean flexion of 75.9° ± 36.0° (range, 30°-129°), mean extension of 3.2° ± 5.2° (range, 0°-12°), and a mean arc of motion of 72.7° ± 34.1° (range, 30°-117°). At a mean follow-up of 7.0 ± 3.9 years (range, 2.4-16.6 years) after AF intervention, patients showed a significant increase in knee flexion of 49° (P = .003), a significant increase in arc of motion of 51° (P = .002), and an increase in extension of 3° (P = .086). The mean final International Knee Documentation Committee score was 59.5 ± 23.9; Lysholm score, 72.1 ± 20.6; Tegner activity scale score, 5.6 ± 2.8; visual analog scale score at rest, 1.0 ± 1.6; and visual analog scale score with use, 3.3 ± 2.5. At final follow-up, 2 patients (17%) had undergone conversion to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at 10.3 and 24.8 years after MLKI surgery. Of the 10 patients who did not go on to TKA, 9 (90%) reported that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their AF knee surgery. Conclusions: At mid-term follow-up, LOA and/or MUA for symptomatic AF after multiligamentous knee surgery results in high rates of patient satisfaction and improved knee ROM and pain scores, as well as durable and satisfactory functional outcomes in patients not undergoing TKA. Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic case series.

Purpose: To compare the clinical efficacy in the resolution of patellar instability, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and complication and reoperation rates between patients who underwent grooveplasty (proximal trochleoplasty) and patients who underwent trochleoplasty as part of a combined patellofemoral stabilization procedure. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify a cohort of patients who underwent grooveplasty and a cohort who underwent trochleoplasty at the time of patellar stabilization. Complications, reoperations, and PRO scores (Tegner, Kujala, and International Knee Documentation Committee scores) were collected at final follow-up. The Kruskal-Wallis test and Fisher exact test were performed when appropriate, and P < .05 was considered significant. Results: Overall, 17 grooveplasty patients (18 knees) and 15 trochleoplasty patients (15 knees) were included. Seventy-nine percent of patients were female, and the average follow-up period was 3.9 years. The mean age at first dislocation was 11.8 years overall; most patients (65%) had more than 10 lifetime instability events and 76% of patients underwent prior knee-stabilizing procedures. Trochlear dysplasia (Dejour classification) was similar between cohorts. Patients who underwent grooveplasty had a higher activity level (P = .007) and a higher degree of patellar facet chondromalacia (P = .008) at baseline. At final follow-up, no patients had recurrent symptomatic instability after grooveplasty compared with 5 patients in the trochleoplasty cohort (P = .013). There were no differences in postoperative International Knee Documentation Committee scores (P = .870), Kujala scores (P = .059), or Tegner scores (P = .052). Additionally, there were no differences in complication rates (17% in grooveplasty cohort vs 13% in trochleoplasty cohort, P > .999) or reoperation rates (22% vs 13%, P = .665). Conclusions: Proximal trochlear reshaping and removal of the supratrochlear spur (grooveplasty) in patients with severe trochlear dysplasia may offer an alternative strategy to complete trochleoplasty for the treatment of trochlear dysplasia in complex cases of patellofemoral instability. Grooveplasty patients showed less recurrent instability and similar PROs and reoperation rates compared with trochleoplasty patients. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Purpose: To develop a standardized method for tibial tunnel volumetric bone mineral density (BMD) analysis with quantitative computed tomography (qCT) using cadaveric specimens to provide validation of this technique on a healthy control population and to determine whether osteopenia occurs following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.Methods: qCT was used to develop a volumetric BMD (mg/cm3) measurement technique throughout the region of a standard tibial tunnel. This method was applied to 90 lower extremities, including 10 matched cadaveric knees, 10 matched healthy knees, 25 ACL-injured knees, and 25 contralateral ACL-uninjured knees. The mean total and segmental (proximal, middle, and distal) tibial tunnel BMD were analyzed. Results: The mean entire tibial tunnel BMD measured 165.8 ± 30.5 mg/cm3 (cadaver), 255.9 ± 28.2 mg/cm3 (healthy control), 290.3 ± 36.4 mg/cm3 (ACL-injured), and 300.1 ± 35.1 (ACL-uninjured). Segmental tibial tunnel BMD demonstrated distal one-third segments as the greatest areas of BMD, followed by proximal one-third, and middle one-third for all cohorts with all pairwise comparisons (P < .001). The mean BMD was significantly greater in the uninjured extremity compared with the injured extremity in the entire tunnel (290.3 vs 300.1; P < .001), proximal (271.2 vs 279.1; P = .002), middle (167.6 vs 179.6; P < .001), and distal segments (432.7 vs 441.7; P = .004) at an average of 8 weeks following ACL injury. Conclusions: A standardized method to quantitatively measure the volumetric BMD within the region of a standard tibial tunnel for ACL reconstruction was successfully developed and validated. Significant osteopenia of the injured knee occurs following ACL injury when compared with the contralateral uninjured knee. This observation has potential clinical implications for ACL graft tibial fixation and healing. Level of Evidence: Descriptive diagnostic study, Level III.

Tears of the posterior medial meniscus root commonly result in extrusion of the meniscus and disruption of tibiofemoral contact mechanics. Transtibial pull-through repair of the root often results in healing of the tear, but postoperative extrusion may persist. In this scenario, the meniscus is unlikely to be chondroprotective. Therefore, an additional centralization procedure is necessary to improve the extrusion. Biomechanical studies have demonstrated that centralization can improve meniscus mechanics and potentially reduce the risk of osteoarthritis. This Technical Note describes an arthroscopic technique for medial meniscus posterior root repair that combines transtibial pullout and centralization sutures.

Arthroscopic assessment of posterior compartments of the knee and the posterior aspect of the proximal tibial and fibula is challenging because of the relative proximity of the neurovascular bundle. This Technical Note describes a reproducible arthroscopic surgical approach in a cadaveric model that aims to identify and expose the popliteus tendon, posterior fibular head, fibular collateral ligament popliteal fibular ligament, biceps femoris tendon, and peroneal nerve.

Posterolateral corner injuries are complex injuries, and their therapeutic management varies from one individual to another. Biomechanical studies demonstrate that anatomic posterolateral corner reconstruction restores knee kinematics better than nonanatomic reconstruction. The purpose of this report is to describe an all-arthroscopic procedure for anatomic posterolateral corner reconstruction.

Double radial tears of the lateral meniscus are rare injuries that typically occur in the setting of an acute anterior cruciate ligament rupture. Full-thickness radial tears of the meniscus body and root render the meniscus nonfunctional from a loss of hoop stress resistance. Repair of these tears can normalize contact pressures in the lateral compartment and delay arthritic changes. We describe our technique for repairing a lateral meniscus body radial tear and concomitant posterior root tear, via inside-out suture repair and transtibial suture repair, respectively. This investigation was performed at Mayo Clinic.

A varus-producing distal femoral osteotomy (DFO) is an effective technique for the treatment of lateral patellar instability (LPI) in patients with concomitant moderate to severe valgus malalignment. Patellar maltracking and subluxation are corrected via neutralization of some of the laterally directed forces on the patella due to the valgus deformity. This can be accomplished with a distal femoral lateral opening-wedge or medial closing-wedge osteotomy and medial soft tissue stabilization. A medial closing-wedge osteotomy offers the advantages of immediate weight bearing and a single incision in cases requiring patellofemoral soft tissue stabilization. In this article, we describe our preferred operative technique for a medial closing-wedge DFO using a femoral locking plate and medial patellofemoral ligament imbrication for the correction of LPI.

Patellar tendon ruptures are rare but potentially devastating injuries. Acute repair after patellar tendon rupture affords the best opportunity for tension-free restoration of the extensor mechanism. Biological augmentation of primary repair is believed to decrease strain across the repair site and reduce the risk of rerupture. We present a technique for primary patellar tendon repair with bidirectional fixation using transosseous tunnels, suture anchor fixation, and ipsilateral hamstring autograft augmentation in a distal patellar pole socket.

Isolated cartilage defects can lead to significant pain and disability, prompting the development of a number of options for restorative treatment. Each method has advantages and limitations, and no single technique has gained widespread use. We present a technique for implantation of a cryopreserved osteochondral allograft (Cartiform) for the treatment of full-thickness cartilage defects. Cartiform is a cryopreserved osteochondral allograft composed of chondrocytes, chondrogenic growth factors, and extracellular matrix proteins. This implant allows for regenerative treatment of full-thickness cartilage lesions in a single surgical procedure.

Lateral meniscus tears are commonly encountered by orthopaedic surgeons. Despite efforts to repair and preserve the meniscus, meniscectomy is occasionally required to treat irreparable tears. The resulting lateral meniscus deficiency leads to increased tibiofemoral contact pressures and ultimately early osteoarthritic changes in the knee. Lateral meniscal allograft transplant (LMAT) has been proposed as a way to restore the lateral meniscus–deficient knee to its native form. Although several techniques for LMAT have been proposed, osseous fixation has demonstrated increased stability, improved outcomes, and improved long-term survival. This article presents a technique for LMAT using bone plugs and standard arthroscopic portals.

Horizontal cleavage meniscus tears are a common orthopedic injury often treated with partial or total meniscectomy versus repair. This Technical Note presents a technique for all-inside repair with uniform compression of the superior and inferior leaflets by placement of multiple circumferential compression stitches using an all-inside self-retrieving suture passing device. The currently described technique provides several advantages for all-inside repair of a horizontal cleavage tear: (1) eliminates the need for a posterior incision, (2) minimizes the risk of neurovascular injury, (3) uses standard arthroscopy portals (or small modifications), and (4) requires only a single suture deployment with a self-retrieving device for each circumferential compression stitch. The resulting circumferential stitch provides uniform compression to the superior and inferior leaflets, promoting meniscal healing. This configuration has been shown to have the highest load to failure of all repair patterns.

The meniscal roots are critical in maintaining the normal shock absorbing function of the meniscus. If a meniscal root tear is left untreated, meniscal extrusion can occur rendering the meniscus nonfunctional resulting in degenerative arthritis. Two main repair techniques are described: (1) suture anchors (direct fixation) and (2) sutures pulled through a tibial tunnel (indirect fixation). Meniscal root repair using a suture anchor technique is technically challenging requiring a posterior portal and a curved suture passing device that can be difficult to manipulate within the knee. We present a technique for posterior medial meniscus root repair using 3 sutures (1 leader, 2 cinch), standard arthroscopy portals, and transtibial fixation. Overall, this technique simplifies a challenging procedure and allows for familiarity and efficiency.

Varus knee malalignment caused by medial compartment arthritis results in progressive asymmetric wear of the tibiofemoral joint. This wear can cause progressively painful gonarthrosis. Surgical methods to address varus knee malalignment include lateral closing-wedge proximal tibial osteotomy, medial opening-wedge osteotomy, and arthroplasty. Medial opening-wedge proximal tibial osteotomy is an effective procedure for restoring proper coronal alignment and reducing knee pain. In this technical note, we present a reproducible technique for proximal tibial osteotomy.

Coronal limb malalignment is a significant contributor to asymmetric joint wear, gait abnormalities, and the development and progression of degenerative joint disease. Osteotomies about the knee were developed to realign the mechanical axis of the limb to unload the affected compartment. Valgus malalignment is less common than varus malalignment, but can contribute to a variety of clinical conditions, including lateral compartment cartilage defects and arthritis, lateral patellofemoral instability, and medial collateral ligament laxity. In this article, we describe our preferred operative technique for a lateral opening wedge varus-producing distal femoral osteotomy to correct mild to moderate valgus malalignment.

Understanding of meniscal function through basic science, natural history, and biomechanics has highlighted the importance of preserving the meniscus to maintain normal knee biomechanics. Tears that may alter these biomechanics can contribute to the progressive nature of degenerative joint disease in the knee. Radial tears result in the disruption of the circumferential fibers causing inability of the native meniscus to resist normal hoop stresses, thereby leading to increased focal areas of pressure that cause complications such as early onset arthrosis. In this technical note, we describe our preferred operative technique to repair radial meniscal tears using an arthroscopic inside-out approach with satisfactory clinical outcomes and healing response.

Injuries to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and posteromedial corner can occur in isolation or in the setting of multiligamentous knee injuries. Reconstruction of the MCL and posteromedial corner is indicated in the setting of a multiligamentous knee injury. Isolated cases failing nonoperative treatment may also undergo surgical treatment. Our preferred technique for anatomic medial-sided knee reconstruction is an open anatomic MCL reconstruction using an Achilles tendon allograft along with direct repair of all associated medial and posteromedial structures.

Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries account for nearly 20% of knee ligament injuries. PCL injuries can occur in isolation or, more commonly, in the setting of multiligamentous knee injuries. Isolated PCL disruptions are commonly treated nonoperatively; however, symptomatic grade III injuries, as well as PCL injuries found in multiligamentous injuries, are frequently treated surgically. Several reconstructive techniques exist for the treatment of PCL deficiency without a clear optimal approach. We describe our preferred operative technique to reconstruct the PCL using an all-inside arthroscopic approach with a quadrupled tibialis anterior or peroneus longus allograft with both tibial and femoral suspensory fixation.

Meniscal root injuries can compromise knee function and lead to early degenerative changes if not appropriately treated. Numerous techniques have been described; however, the technical difficulties in performing these repairs are well known. Furthermore, the relative strengths of various repair techniques have been examined. This article describes a single–working portal meniscal root repair technique using a double-locking loop suture configuration with a novel suture-passing device that offers a strong, reproducible repair construct.

Posterolateral corner injuries of the knee are relatively rare; however, they can result in significant long-term disability without appropriate treatment. They often occur in the setting of multiligament knee injuries, and as a result, diagnosis and management can be challenging. Severe injuries often require reconstruction, and both anatomic and nonanatomic techniques exist. We describe our preferred operative technique to reconstruct the fibular collateral ligament and posterolateral corner using a single Achilles tendon allograft.

We present our arthroscopic technique for fixation of an unstable osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesion. This technique includes arthroscopic evaluation of cartilage and bone quality of the OCD fragment, hinging open the lesion, debridement of fibrous nonunion tissue, reducing the fragment, and obtaining multi-point compression screw fixation. This technique avoids the morbidity of an open arthrotomy and should be considered when treating an unstable OCD lesion with adequate bone for fixation.