Cartilage repair techniques of the talus: An update.

Symptomatic chondral or osteochondral defects of the talus reduce the quality of life of many patients. Although their pathomechanism is well understood, it is well known that different aetiologic factors play a role in their origin. Additionally, it is well recognised that the talar articular cartilage strongly differs from that in the knee.

Interface abrasion between rough surface femoral stems and PMMA cement results in extreme wear volumes--a retrieval study and failure analysis.

During the loosening cascade of cemented rough femoral stems, the destruction of the mantle and the production of cement and metal wear debris occur after the loss of constraint at the interface. Two-dimensional (2D) measurements (light microscopy based morphometry on fragments of mantles and vertical scanning interferometry of femoral stems) permitted mathematical 3D-extrapolations to estimate the wear volumes. Fragments of the cement mantles available lost volumes from 0.

A comparison of intraarticular lumbar facet joint steroid injections and lumbar facet joint radiofrequency denervation in the treatment of low back pain: a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial.

Background: Lumbar facet joint degeneration is a source of chronic low back pain, with an incidence of 15% to 45% among patients with low back pain. Various therapeutic techniques in the treatment of facet-related pain have been described in the literature, including intraarticular lumbar facet joint steroid injections and radiofrequency denervation. In this study, we compared the effectiveness of intraarticular facet joint steroid injections and radiofrequency denervation.

Correlation of pull-out strength of cement-augmented pedicle screws with CT-volumetric measurement of cement.

Background: Cement augmentation of pedicle screws increases fixation strength in an osteoporotic spine. This study was designed to determine the cement distribution and the correlation between the pull-out strength of the augmented screw and the cement volume within polyurethane (PU) foam.

Methods: Twenty-eight cannulated pedicle screws (6×45 mm) (Peter Brehm, Erlangen, Germany) with four holes at the distal end of the screw were augmented with the acrylic Stabilit ER Bone Cement Vertebral Augmentation System (DFine Inc.

Biomechanical and magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of a single- and double-row rotator cuff repair in an in vivo sheep model.

Purpose: To investigate the biomechanical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived morphologic changes between single- and double-row rotator cuff repair at different time points after fixation.

Methods: Eighteen mature female sheep were randomly assigned to either a single-row treatment group using arthroscopic Mason-Allen stitches or a double-row treatment group using a combination of arthroscopic Mason-Allen and mattress stitches. Each group was analyzed at 1 of 3 survival points (6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 26 weeks).

Fatigue stress fractures of the pelvis: a rare cause of low back pain in female athletes.

Stress fracture of the pelvis represents one rare differential diagnosis among the manifold causes of low back pain in female athletes. We report a case of fatigue stress fracture of the pelvis in a 24-year-old female athlete as an unusual differential diagnosis of low back pain that should be taken into consideration. According to the literature the incidence of low back pain in athletes ranges from 1% to 30% and is influenced by sport type, gender, training intensity, training frequency and technique.

Surgical management of sternoclavicular septic arthritis.

Introduction: Septic arthritis of the sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) is a rare condition and has many diagnostic and therapeutic standards. The purpose of this study was to evaluate our experience with surgical and diagnostic management to provide a surgical pathway to help surgeons treat this disease.

Method: We retrospectively reviewed five patients who were managed surgically between 1999 and 2007.

Factory-assembled polyethylene linings in metal backing show higher wear rates compared to equisized all-polyethylene sockets.

Two series of cementless total hip arthroplasty with acetabular sockets of a threaded truncated cone design were compared regarding volumetric wear rates. The first series included all-polyethylene acetabular sockets of the type Endler (E-PE); in the second series, a nonmodular titanium metal-backed polyethylene (E-MB) socket with an identical outer shape to E-PE was implanted. Bearings were articulated with alumina 32-mm diameter ball heads.

The Mayo cementless femoral component in active patients with osteoarthritis.

This prospective study reports the clinical and radiological results of a single-surgeon series using the Mayo conservative hip stem in a district hospital. 30 total hip arthroplasties were performed in 26 physically active patients. There were 18 women and 8 men, with a mean age of 57.

Collagen IX in weight-bearing areas of human articular cartilage in late stages of osteoarthritis.

Aim: To determine if the amounts of collagen IX mRNA and protein are higher in osteoarthritic cartilage from weight-bearing areas of the knee joint compared to non-weight bearing areas in patients with stage IV osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: Normal and OA cartilage samples were obtained from 15 patients undergoing total knee replacement or necropsies. mRNA was measured by real time RT-PCR and proteins were detected by Western blot and localized at the light and ultrastructural level.

The surgical technique of autologous chondrocyte transplantation of the talus with use of a periosteal graft. Surgical technique.

Background: Despite its highly specialized nature, articular cartilage has a poor reparative capability. Treatment of symptomatic osteochondral defects of the talus has been especially difficult until now.

Methods: We performed autologous chondrocyte transplantation in twelve patients with a focal deep cartilage lesion of the talus.

Implant detectibility of intervertebral disc spacers in post fusion MRI: evaluation of the MRI scan quality by using a scoring system--an in vitro study.

Introduction: Intervertebral spacers for anterior spine fusion are made of different materials, such as titanium and cobalt chromium alloys and carbon fiber-reinforced polymers. Implant-related susceptibility artifacts can decrease the quality of MRI scans. The aim of this cadaveric study was to demonstrate the extent that implant-related MRI artifacting affects the postfusion differentiation of determined regions of interest (ROIs).

Arthrodesis of the knee after failed infected total knee arthroplasty.

Infection after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can be a challenging and difficult problem to treat. In selected patients, knee arthrodesis is a well-recognized salvage procedure after infected TKA. The authors retrospectively reviewed their experience with this treatment option, presenting 20 patients (8 women, 12 men), performed between 1990 and 2002.