Francesco Castagnini

Partial ACL Tears: Anatomic Reconstruction Versus Nonanatomic Augmentation Surgery

Treatment of partial anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears requires ACL remnant preservation. The goal of this study was to compare the outcome of anatomic reconstruction of the torn bundle with nonanatomic augmentation using the over-the-top femoral route. Fifty-two athletes (mean age, 23.3 years) with partial ACL lesions underwent anatomic reconstruction (n=26) or nonanatomic augmentation (n=26). Intraoperative damage of the healthy bundle that required a standard ACL reconstruction occurred in 2 patients in the anatomic reconstruction group. International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Tegner score, and arthrometer evaluation were used pre-operatively and at follow-up for up to 5 years postoperatively. One failure occurred in the anatomic reconstruction group. Mean IKDC subjective score at follow-up was 88.2 ± 5.7 in the anatomic reconstruction group and 90.2 ± 4.7 in the nonanatomic augmentation group. According to the IKDC objective score at final follow-up, 96% of knees in the nonanatomic augmentation group were normal vs 87.5% in the anatomic reconstruction group. No significative differences were observed between the 2 groups at final follow-up. Anteromedial bundle reconstruction showed significantly lower IKDC subjective and objective scores and higher residual instability values as evaluated with the arthrometer compared with posterolateral bundle reconstruction (P=.017). The surgical treatment of ACL partial tears is demanding. Adapted portals, perfect control of the tunnel drilling process, and intercondylar space management are required in anatomic reconstruction. The nonanatomic augmentation technique is simpler, providing excellent durable results over time with a lower complication rate. Anteromedial bundle reconstruction is associated with a poorer outcome, especially when performed with anatomic reconstruction.

Treatment of Hemophilic Ankle Arthropathy with One-Step Arthroscopic Bone Marrow–Derived Cells Transplantation

Objective Ankle arthropathy is a frequent and invalidating manifestation of hemophilia. Arthrodesis is the gold standard surgical procedure in end-stage disease, with many drawbacks in young patients. Recent literature has shown increase interest in regenerative procedures in hemophilic arthropathy, which may be desirable to delay or even avoid arthrodesis. The aim of this article is to present five cases of osteochondral lesions in ankle hemophilic arthropathy treated with a regenerative procedure: bone marrow–derived cells transplantation (BMDCT). Design We report five hemophilic patients (four cases with hemophilia type A; one case with hemophilia type B) who have undergone BMDCT treatment, synovectomy, and arthroscopic debridement, with the use of autologous platelet-rich fibrin, to treat osteochondral lesions in hemophilic ankle arthropathy. The patients, included within this retrospective study, were clinically and radiologically evaluated with serial follow-ups, using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores, radiographs, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results The mean preoperative AOFAS score was 35. After a mean follow-up of 2 years, the mean postoperative AOFAS score was 81, which included three patients returning back to sporting activities. The MRI Mocart score demonstrated signs of regeneration of chondral and bony tissue. No progression of joint degeneration was shown radiographically. Conclusion BMDCT is a promising regenerative treatment for osteochondral lesions in mild ankle hemophilic arthropathy, which may be useful to delay or even avoid ankle arthrodesis. Nevertheless, longer follow-ups and a larger case series are required.

Joint sparing treatments in early ankle osteoarthritis: current procedures and future perspectives

Ankle osteoarthritis (AOA) is a severe pathology, mostly affecting a post-traumatic young population. Arthroscopic debridement, arthrodiastasis, osteotomy are the current joint sparing procedures, but, in the available studies, controversial results were achieved, with better outcomes in case of limited degeneration. Only osteotomy in case of malalignment is universally accepted as a joint sparing procedure in case of partial AOA. Recently, the biological mechanism of osteoarthritis has been intensively studied: it is a whole joint pathology, affecting cartilage, bone and synovial membrane. In particular, the first stage is characterized by a reversible catabolic activity with a state of chondropenia. Thus, biological procedures for early AOA were proposed in order to delay or to avoid end stage procedures. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may be a good solution to prevent or reverse degeneration, due to their immunomodulatory features (able to control the catabolic joint environment) and their regenerative osteochondral capabilities (able to treat the chondral defects). In fact, MSCs may regulate the cytokine cascade and the metalloproteinases release, restoring the osteochondral tissue as well. After interesting reports of mesenchymal stem cells seeded on scaffold and applied to cartilage defects in non-degenerated joints, bone marrow derived cells transplantation appears to be a promising technique in order to control the degenerative pathway and restore the osteochondral defects.

Return to Sports After Bone Marrow-Derived Cell Transplantation for Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus.

Objective Arthroscopic “one-step” technique based on bone marrow–derived cell transplantation (BMDCT) have achieved good results in repairing osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT), overcoming important drawbacks of older techniques. It may be particularly adequate for the treatment of athletes in order to permit a safe and stable return to sports. The aim of this study was to report the results at 48 months of a series of athletes and the factors influencing the return to sports. Design Case series. A total of 140 athletes underwent a “one-step” BMDCT repair of OLT. All the patients had the cells harvested from the iliac crest, condensed and loaded on a scaffold, and then implanted. Patients were evaluated clinically by the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores and Halasi score. Results AOFAS score improved from 58.7 ± 13.5 preoperatively to 90.6 ± 8.6 (P < 0.005) at 24 months, and to 90.9 ± 10.7 at 48 months. Halasi score was 6.88 ± 1.8 preinjury, 4.08 ± 1.7 preoperatively, and 5.56 ± 2.0 at final follow-up. At the final follow-up, all the patients (beside 1 failure and 3 lost) were able to return to activity and 72.8% were able to resume sports at preinjury level. Conclusions “One-step” BMDCT repair of OLT had good clinical results that was durable over time in athletes, permitting a return to sports at preinjury level in the majority of patients. The preoperative presence of impingement and articular degeneration were the main negative prognostic factors.

Temperature-Controlled Continuous Cold Flow Device after Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study

Abstract Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a widely accepted and successful procedure for end‐stage arthritis. Nevertheless, fast‐track may be compromised by many factors, such as pain, edema, and blood loss. Cryotherapy has been advocated as a safe and effective strategy to improve the postoperative results, acting on pain, edema, and blood loss. This study is a prospective randomized controlled study, involving 50 patients after primary TKA. A power analysis was performed preoperatively. Twenty‐four patients were addressed to a postoperative treatment with a continuous cold flow device (Hilotherm, Hilotherm GmbH, Germany). Twenty‐six patients represented the control group, treated with crushed ice packs. All the patients shared the same analgesic strategy and the same rehabilitation protocol. Pain, analgesic consumption, active knee range of motion, drain output, transfusion requirement, and total blood loss were evaluated at different follow‐ups (postoperative first, third, and seventh days). The two groups were homogenous for preoperative and intraoperative features. The groups showed no statistically significant differences in all the evaluated parameters. A modest reduction of knee volume was evident after 7 days from surgery (trend). No differences in blood loss were noticed. Continuous cold flow device in the acute postoperative setting after TKA did not show superiority in reducing edema, pain, and blood loss, compared with traditional icing regimen. Thus, due to the costs, it should be reserved to selected cases.

Repair Potential of Matrix-Induced Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate and Matrix-Induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation for Talar Osteochondral Repair: Patterns of Some Catabolic, Inflammatory, and Pain Mediators

Objective The low regenerative potential of cartilage contributed to the development of different cell therapies aimed to improve the clinical outcome in young patients with Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus (OLT). This study is designed to assess the regenerative potential of autologous matrix-induced Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (mBMAC) and matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (mACI) evaluating, on a small number of osteochondral biopsies, the expression of some catabolic, inflammatory, and pain mediators. Design Twenty-two patients with OLT were analyzed in this study; 7 were treated with mACI and 15 with mBMAC. Informed consent was obtained from all the patients. Clinical assessments were performed pre-operatively and at 12, 24, and 36 months after surgery using the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS). Histology and immunohistochemistry were used to assess cartilage repair at 24 months. Data were analyzed using non-parametric Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and Spearman tests. Results A remarkable improvement in AOFAS score was noticed for both treatments up to 36 months; however, patients treated with mACI reported the best AOFAS score. Various degrees of tissue remodeling were observed by histological analysis for both cell strategies. However, mBMAC treatment showed a higher expression of some fibrous and hypertrophic markers compared to mACI group. A mild positivity for nerve growth factor, as pain mediator, was noticed for both treatments.M Conclusions Our findings demonstrated the best histological and clinical results following mACI treatment since different fibrotic and hypertrophic features were evident in the mBMAC group at 24-month follow-up.

Arthroscopic Treatment and Prognostic Classification of Anterior Soft Tissue Impingement of the Ankle

Background: Anterior soft tissue impingement of the ankle has been described based on the etiology and location, but no classification has been reported. Arthroscopic treatment is usually considered effective, even if the behavior of the different forms of impingement is not clear. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors affecting long-term results. Methods: Forty-two patients with a mean age of 32.6 years were arthroscopically treated between 2004 and 2008. Impingement lesions were identified according to clinical examination and confirmed by MRI. Soft tissue impingement was detected and classified according to location (anteromedial, anterolateral, syndesmotic or diffuse). Patient data, foot morphology, and previous trauma or surgery were recorded. Patients were evaluated after a mean of 90.1 months’ follow-up with the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scoring system. Results: The mean AOFAS score improved from 40.6 preoperatively to 82.6, 78.4, and 74.8, respectively, at the 2-, 4-, and 6-year follow-ups (P < .05). The anterolateral form showed higher scores compared to the diffuse or anteromedial forms. Age, foot morphology, and previous trauma or surgery did not affect the results. Body mass index of more than 26 and male gender were associated with worse outcomes. Conclusion: Arthroscopic debridement proved effective in the treatment of soft tissue impingement. Furthermore, we were able to classify the location of the anterior soft tissue impingement of the ankle, which may have prognostic importance. Level of Evidence: Level IV, case series.

Subchondral Bone Regenerative Effect of Two Different Biomaterials in the Same Patient

This case report aims at highlighting the different effects on subchondral bone regeneration of two different biomaterials in the same patient, in addition to bone marrow derived cell transplantation (BMDCT) in ankle. A 15-year-old boy underwent a first BMDCT on a hyaluronate membrane to treat a deep osteochondral lesion (8 mm). The procedure failed: subchondral bone was still present at MRI. Two years after the first operation, the same procedure was performed on a collagen membrane with DBM filling the defect. After one year, AOFAS score was 100 points, and MRI showed a complete filling of the defect. The T2 mapping MRI after one year showed chondral tissue with values in the range of hyaline cartilage. In this case, DBM and the collagen membrane were demonstrated to be good biomaterials to restore subchondral bone: this is a critical step towards the regeneration of a healthy hyaline cartilage.

The influence of bearing surfaces on periprosthetic hip infections: analysis of thirty nine thousand, two hundred and six cementless total hip arthroplasties

PurposePeriprosthetic hip infection (PHI) is a devastating complication. The association between PHI and bearing surfaces as well as patient-related factors has been recently investigated, with contradictive outcomes. The dataset of Emilia-Romagna region Registry for Orthopaedic Prosthetic Implants (RIPO) has been assessed to investigate, if the bearing choice influenced the risk of septic loosening occurrence.MethodsRIPO data about 39,206 cementless total hip arthroplasties (THA), collected since 2003, were analysed. Age, gender, BMI, diabetes and bearing surfaces were evaluated. The end point of the study was the revision of at least a single component due to sepsis.ResultsAdjusted and unadjusted survival rates showed that ceramic-on-ceramic (COC) implants had the lower incidence of PHIs, whereas metal-on-metal (MOM) THAs were significantly more prone to infection. In MOM cohort, stemmed implants were involved in 28 out of 30 cases. Among the demographical features and comorbid conditions, only diabetes statistically influenced the rate of sepsis.ConclusionsBearing surfaces influenced the rate of PHI; in particular, stemmed MOM implants were at higher risk, probably due to metal debris consequent to taperosis. Despite the preliminary results, stemmed MOM THAs should be used with care, and diabetic patients should be warned about increased septic risks.

Highly porous titanium cup in cementless total hip arthroplasty: registry results at eight years

PurposeHighly porous cups were developed to improve osseointegration and reduce the rate of aseptic loosening. Highly porous titanium cups could mix the reliability of titanium metal with an enhanced porosity, improving the bony ingrowth. The aim of this report was to assess the survival rates and reasons for revision of a highly porous titanium cup, Fixa Ti-Por (Adler Ortho, Milan, Italy), fabricated using an additive manufacturing.MethodsThe Registry of Prosthetic Orthopedic Implants (RIPO), the Emilia-Romagna region arthroplasty registry, was enquired about cementless cups, implanted since July 2007. Ti-Por cups were compared to all the other cementless sockets, acting as a control group. The survival rates and reasons for revision were evaluated and compared. Comparisons with the same articular couplings were also provided.ResultsWhen all the articular couplings were included, Ti-Por performed better, achieving a statistically higher survival rate than the control group (98.7% vs 97.9%) and a statistically lower incidence of cup aseptic loosening. In case of ceramic on polyethylene couplings, Ti-Por achieved similar survival rate: cup aseptic loosening in Ti-Por group was 0.2%, whereas the control group rated 0.4%. In ceramic-on-ceramic implants, the survival rate was similar in the two groups, Ti-Por achieving a cup aseptic loosening rate of 0.1% (vs 0.14% in the control group).ConclusionHighly porous titanium cups showed trustworthy results at eight years, reducing the rate of aseptic loosening. Longer follow-ups, ion analyses, and pre-clinical in vivo studies would be helpful to better define the reliability of these devices and their advantages.