Isolated anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in the chronic ACL-deficient knee with degenerative medial arthrosis.

Isolated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction may provide long-term symptom relief and improved function in patients with medial knee arthrosis and ACL-deficiency, while delaying or possibly eliminating the need for further surgical intervention. Fifty-three patients who had medial unicompartmental arthrosis and chronic ACL-deficient knees underwent ACL reconstruction alone. Subjective evaluation at mean 10 years postoperatively indicated statistically significant improvement compared to preoperative evaluation and better scores for patients who obtained normal knee range of motion.

Deconditioned Knee: The Effectiveness of a Rehabilitation Program that Restores Normal Knee Motion to Improve Symptoms and Function.

Background: Knee pain can cause a deconditioned knee. Deconditioned is defined as causing one to lose physical fitness. Therefore, a deconditioned knee is defined as a painful syndrome caused by anatomical or functional abnormalities that result in a knee flexion contracture (functional loss of knee extension), decreased strength, and decreased function.

Knee dislocation with lateral side injury: results of an en masse surgical repair technique of the lateral side.

Background: Knee dislocations with lateral side injury are rare and disabling if not treated.

Hypothesis: An en masse surgical technique to repair the lateral side will provide good stability, and the posterior cruciate ligament will heal when left in situ.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Intercondylar notch width measurement differences between African American and white men and women with intact anterior cruciate ligament knees.

Background: A recent report of professional women's basketball found that white European American female players were 6.5 times more likely to tear their anterior cruciate ligament than their nonwhite European American counterparts. African Americans accounted for 95% of the nonwhite European American group.

Use of Knee Extension Device During Rehabilitation of a Patient with Type 3 Arthrofibrosis after ACL Reconstruction.

Background: Arthrofibrosis is a frequent complication following rehabilitation of a patient with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Although prevention is the best treatment, little information exists within the literature regarding the management and rehabilitation intervention for arthrofibrosis. In this case report a rehabilitation program in the treatment of a patient with arthrofibrosis is described.

Digital radiographic evaluation of medial joint space narrowing after partial meniscectomy of bucket-handle medial meniscus tears in anterior cruciate ligament-intact knees.

Background: Few studies exist that evaluate the effect of partial medial meniscectomy in knees with intact anterior cruciate ligaments.

Hypothesis: Partial meniscectomy of bucket-handle medial meniscus tears will cause joint space narrowing.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

What I have learned about the ACL: utilizing a progressive rehabilitation scheme to achieve total knee symmetry after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Anterior cruciate ligament surgery and rehabilitation have changed drastically during the past 30 years. The patellar tendon autograft fixed with buttons provides tight bone-to-bone placement of the graft and quick bony healing, which allows accelerated rehabilitation to obtain full range of motion and strength. Although surgical stability is easily reproducible, long-term patient satisfaction is difficult to guarantee.

Recalcitrant patellar tendinosis in elite athletes: surgical treatment in conjunction with aggressive postoperative rehabilitation.

Background: Recalcitrant patellar tendinosis is difficult to treat, and results are varied.

Hypothesis: Surgical removal of necrotic tissue, surgical stimulation of remaining tendon, and aggressive and specific rehabilitation after patellar tendonectomy will allow athletes to return to sports.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Subjective results of nonoperatively treated, acute, isolated posterior cruciate ligament injuries.

Purpose: To evaluate subjective results obtained prospectively of patients who had acute isolated posterior cruciate ligament injuries.

Type Of Study: Prospective cohort study.

Methods: Between 1983 and 2001, 271 patients who were seen for an acute, isolated posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury were asked to enroll in a long-term study (grade 1, n = 100; grade 1.

Results of transphyseal anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using patellar tendon autograft in tanner stage 3 or 4 adolescents with clearly open growth plates.

Background: Drilling across the physes for intra-articular anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is considered risky for skeletally immature patients.

Hypothesis: Skeletally immature patients with clearly open growth plates can safely undergo intra-articular anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with patellar tendon autograft without suffering growth plate disturbance.

Study Design: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data.

Comparison of partial meniscectomy versus meniscus repair for bucket-handle lateral meniscus tears in anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed knees.

Purpose: For patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and had an unstable bucket-handle tear and no other meniscus lesions or articular damage, we sought to determine if repair of the lateral meniscus was superior to partial meniscectomy with regard to subjective and objective results.

Type Of Study: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: Between 1982 and 1995, 91 patients met the inclusion criteria of having an ACL tear and an isolated unstable, bucket-handle meniscus tear.

The long-term evaluation of lateral meniscus tears left in situ at the time of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to determine the long-term subjective and objective results for patients with lateral meniscus tears found at the time of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction that were left in situ or abraded and trephined but not repaired or removed.

Type Of Study: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data.

Methods: From a database of ACL reconstruction patients, 332 patients were noted to have lateral meniscus tears that were left in situ or underwent abrasion and trephination.