Influence of surgical approach on heterotopic ossification after total hip arthroplasty - is minimal invasive better? A case control study.

Background: Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a well-known complication after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Recently, the trend is to operate THA minimally invasive being less traumatic than standard approaches and promising a faster return to activity. The purpose of the study was to investigate if minimal invasive surgery (MIS), leads also to less HO after THA.

No correlation between coronal alignment of total knee arthroplasty and clinical outcomes: a prospective clinical study using 3D-CT.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate femoral and tibial as well as whole leg coronal TKA alignment using 3D-reconstructed CTs and to assess the relationship of coronal TKA alignment and clinical outcome in a large prospective series of patients. It was hypothesized that a coronal deviation of TKA position and leg alignment from the mechanical axis is correlated with poorer patients' outcome after TKA.

Methods: A total of 81 consecutive patients who underwent primary TKA were prospectively included.

Intra- and inter-observer reliability of a new standardized diagnostic method using SPECT/CT in patients with osteochondral lesions of the ankle joint.

Background: Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography-Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) gains an important part of diagnostics in patients with osteochondral lesions (OCL). SPECT/CT is a hybrid imaging modality, which combines a 3D scintigraphy (SPECT) and computerized tomography (CT) into one single procedure and combines metabolic data, structural and mechanical information. The purpose of the study was to develop and evaluate a standardized method to anatomically localize and quantitatively analyze the bone SPECT tracer activity of the ankle joint using SPECT/CT.

The Genovese grading scale is not reliable for MR assessment of collagen meniscus implants.

Background: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-observer reliabilities of the Genovese grading on MRI in patients after collagen meniscus substitution.

Methods: 84 MRI images of 74 consecutive patients who underwent partial meniscus substitution using collagen meniscus implant (CMI) were assessed. MRIs were evaluated using the Genovese grading system.

The role of bone void fillers in medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy: a systematic review.

Purpose: A variety of bone void filling materials and methods are available in opening medial wedge HTO (OWHTO). The pertinent question revolves around if and when bone void fillers are needed. The primary purpose of this study was to systematically review outcomes and complications after OWHTO with and without the use of bone void fillers.

The need for secondary resurfacing is affected by trochlear height in total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to compare the rate of secondary resurfacing in a consecutive series of five different total knee arthroplasty (TKA) systems. It was our hypothesis that different TKA design features such as sulcus angle or trochlear height influence the rate of secondary resurfacing.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed on data from patients who underwent TKA without primary patellar resurfacing from 2004 to 2012 in an university-affiliated hospital.

Accuracy of diagnostic tests for prosthetic joint infection: a systematic review.

Purpose: There are few evidence-based recommendations on the most effective methods for diagnosing prosthetic joint infections (PJIs), and the potency of tests in relation to each other also remains vague. This systematic review aimed to (1) identify systematic reviews reporting accuracies of available approaches for diagnosing PJI, (2) critically appraise their quality and bias, and (3) compare the available approaches in terms of accuracy for diagnosing PJI.

Methods: PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for meta-analyses reporting accuracies of different diagnostic modalities for PJIs.

Meniscal injuries in children and adolescents undergoing surgical treatment for tibial eminence fractures.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of meniscal injuries in children and adolescents undergoing surgical treatment for tibial eminence fractures and to test for possible relationships between associated meniscal lesions and patient demographics or injury characteristics.

Methods: A prospective multicenter study was conducted to arthroscopically assess the prevalence and characteristics of meniscal injuries in children and adolescents undergoing surgical treatment for tibial eminence fractures between 04/2014 and 10/2015. Patient demographics and injury characteristics were assessed preoperatively.

Chronic Knee Pain: Clinical Value of MRI versus SPECT/CT.

MRI and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) are important imaging methods for the evaluation of chronic knee pain. MRI is the current gold standard for the assessment of soft tissue, chondral, and bony pathologies of the knee joint. In the last decade, SPECT/CT has been increasingly recognized and used for a variety of orthopedic problems.

In vivo bone tunnel remodeling in symptomatic patients after ACL reconstruction: a retrospective comparison of articular and extra-articular fixation.

Background: there is only a paucity of studies dealing with bone remodeling within the tunnels after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of tendon graft type and surgical fixation technique on bone tunnel remodeling in patients with symptomatic knees after ACL reconstruction.

Methods: in a retrospective study 99mTc-HDP bone tracer uptake (BTU) in SPECT/CT of 57 knees with symptoms of pain and/or instability after ACL reconstruction was investigated.

The biomechanical strength of a hardware-free femoral press-fit method for ACL bone-tendon-bone graft fixation.

Purpose: The purpose was to investigate graft slippage and ultimate load to failure of a femoral press-fit fixation technique for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Methods: Nine fresh-frozen knees were used. Standardized harvesting of the B-PT-B graft was performed.

Symptomatic versus asymptomatic knees after bilateral total knee arthroplasty: what is the difference in SPECT/CT?

Purpose: The primary purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the differences of bone tracer uptake (BTU) in symptomatic and asymptomatic knees after bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and identify typical BTU patterns with regards to TKA component position and alignment.

Methods: A consecutive number of 37 patients after bilateral TKA were retrospectively included. The knees were grouped into symptomatic (group A) and asymptomatic (group B) knees.

How sensitive and specific is 1.5 Tesla MRI for diagnosing injuries in patients with knee dislocation?

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing and identifying the specific injury pattern in patients with knee dislocation. The hypothesis was that the sensitivity and specificity are low in patients with posterolateral corner injury and/or PCL tear.

Elevated marrow inflammatory cells and osteoclasts in subchondral osteosclerosis in human knee osteoarthritis.

Subchondral osteosclerosis, characterized by an increase of hypomineralized bone material, is a pathological hallmark of osteoarthritis. The cellular components in the subchondral marrow compartment that participate in this aberrant bone remodeling process remain to be elucidated. This study assessed the presence of marrow inflammatory cells and their relative abundance between nonsclerotic and sclerotic tissues in knee osteoarthritis.

Metal backed fixed-bearing unicondylar knee arthroplasties using minimal invasive surgery: a promising outcome analysis of 132 cases.

Background: Unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a well-established treatment for isolated osteoarthritis (OA) of the medial knee compartment. Aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the early clinical and radiological outcomes of a consecutive series of patients treated with medial metal backed fixed-bearing UKA. Furthermore, the influence of the component orientation on the outcome was analyzed.

Surgical treatment of patellofemoral instability using trochleoplasty or MPFL reconstruction: a systematic review.

Purpose: Trochleoplasty and reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) are among the most commonly performed surgical treatments in patients with patellofemoral instability. The primary purpose of the study was to perform a systematic literature review on trochleoplasty in the treatment of patients with patellofemoral instability. The secondary purpose was to compare the outcomes with those seen in patients treated after reconstruction of the MPFL.