An ovine knee simulator: description and proof of concept.

Aims: The ovine stifle is an established model for evaluation of knee treatments, such as meniscus replacement. This study introduces a novel ovine gait simulator for pre-testing of surgical treatments prior to animal trials. Furthermore, we describe a pilot study that assessed gait kinematics and contact pressures of native ovine stifle joints and those implanted with a novel fiber-matrix reinforced polyvinyl alcohol-polyethylene glycol (PVA-PEG) hydrogel meniscus to illustrate the efficacy of the simulator.

Enhancing acetabular reaming accuracy: optimal techniques and a novel reamer design.

Introduction: Successful press-fit implantation relies on an accurately reamed bone cavity. Inaccurate reaming can lead to a suboptimal press-fit risking fracture and cup deformation or excessive micromotion and loosening. Several factors may impact reaming accuracy including the reamer design, the surgeon's technique and the bone quality.

Hip resurfacing arthroplasty in women: A novel ceramic device enables near normal gait function.

Background: Gait function improves after Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) but is not restored to normal levels. Metal-on-metal Resurfacing Arthroplasty (MoM-HRA) is an alternative to THA and has shown to restore normal levels gait function and physical activity but has been restricted to men owing to problems of metal-ion release. Ceramic HRA (cHRA) removes the cobalt-chrome bearing surfaces, thereby eliminating these specific metal-ion concerns and aiming to be safe for females.

A single-use, size-specific, nylon arthroplasty guide: a preliminary study for hip resurfacing.

Introduction: In arthroplasty surgery, positioning of the components must be accurate and reproducible to avoid complications. Conventional guides are often used to align a component, but they require surgical skill and experience, and are prone to error. To this end, a single-use, size-specific, nylon guide (single-use nylon guide) has been developed for the purpose of increasing the accuracy without adding extra cost to the operation.

Posteromedial Meniscocapsular Lesions Increase Tibiofemoral Joint Laxity With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Deficiency, and Their Repair Reduces Laxity.

Background: Injury to the posteromedial meniscocapsular junction has been identified after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture; however, there is a lack of objective evidence investigating how this affects knee kinematics or whether increased laxity can be restored by repair. Such injury is often overlooked at surgery, with possible compromise to results.

Hypotheses: (1) Sectioning the posteromedial meniscocapsular junction in an ACL-deficient knee will result in increased anterior tibial translation and rotation.

Anteroposterior Laxity After Bicruciate-Retaining Total Knee Arthroplasty Is Closer to the Native Knee Than ACL-Resecting TKA: A Biomechanical Cadaver Study.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether a bicruciate retaining (BCR) TKA would yield anteroposterior (AP) laxity closer to the native knee than a posterior cruciate ligament retaining (CR) TKA. A BCR TKA was designed and compared to CR TKA and the native knee using cadaver specimens. AP laxity with the CR TKA was greater than the native knee (P=0.

Clinically relevant biomechanics of the knee capsule and ligaments.

The paper describes the concepts of primary and secondary restraints to knee joint stability and explains systematically how the tibia is stabilised against translational forces and rotational torques in different directions and axes, and how those vary across the arc of flexion-extension. It also shows how the menisci act to stabilise the knee, in addition to load carrying across the joint. It compares the properties of the natural stabilising structures with the strength and stiffness of autogenous tissue grafts and relates those strengths to the strength of graft fixation devices.

Length change patterns in the lateral extra-articular structures of the knee and related reconstructions.

Background: Lateral extra-articular soft tissue reconstructions in the knee may be used as a combined procedure in revision anterior cruciate ligament surgery as well as in primary treatment for patients who demonstrate excessive anterolateral rotatory instability. Only a few studies examining length change patterns and isometry in lateral extra-articular reconstructions have been published.

Purpose: To determine a recommended femoral insertion area and graft path for lateral extra-articular reconstructions by measuring length change patterns through a range of knee flexion angles of several combinations of tibial and femoral insertion points on the lateral side of the knee.

Kinematic behaviour and soft tissue management in guided motion total knee replacement.

Purpose: Dissatisfaction after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may be caused by abnormal knee kinematics, and there is concern that 'guided motion' TKAs, designed to replicate normal knee kinematics, cause anterolateral knee pain due to stretching of soft tissues. It was hypothesised that excessive tibial internal rotation and femoral rollback during flexion were to blame.

Methods: Eighteen fresh-frozen specimens were used in two studies.

Biomechanical comparisons between 4-strand and modified Larson 2-strand procedures for reconstruction of the posterolateral corner of the knee.

Background: The posterolateral corner (PLC) resists tibial varus angulation, external rotation, and, to a lesser extent, posterior translation. It is important that reconstructions of posterolateral knee injuries restore joint laxity and patient function, but residual laxities are often observed.

Hypothesis: The knee laxity after a new 4-strand PLC reconstruction would be closer to normal than after a 2-strand "modified Larson" reconstruction.

The fixation strength of a novel ACL soft-tissue graft fixation device compared with conventional interference screws: a biomechanical study in vitro.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using autologous hamstring tendons is an established surgical procedure but some grafts fail due to poor fixation. This study compared the fixation of a new ACL graft fixation device (the EZ KneeSpan) to conventional soft-tissue threaded titanium interference screws (IS). The EZ device was designed to provide secure fixation while avoiding soft-tissue graft damage associated with use of an IS.