João Batista de Miranda

Opening‐Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy With and Without Bone Graft

Medial opening-wedge has gained popularity in comparison to other techniques of high tibial osteotomy. This technique involves the creation of a gap in the tibia. Filling the gap with autologous iliac bone graft was recommended in the classic description, to prevent complications such as correction loss or delayed bone union. No previous reports have compared grafted and nongrafted osteotomies. This study hypothesized that the use of autologous bone graft in medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) less than 12.5 mm is unnecessary. A prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted. Forty-six opening-wedge high tibial osteotomies were carried out between April 2007 and December 2008. All had fixation with a type of Puddu stainless steel plate and screws. Patients were randomly divided by software analysis into two groups: group A had osteotomies that were filled with autologous bone graft and group B had osteotomies that were unfilled. Autologous iliac bone graft was harvested in both groups. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed twice monthly by blinded investigators. The rates of complications were compared between the groups. There was no difference in demographic data. Mean time to clinical bone union in group A was 12.4 weeks (confidence interval [CI] 11.2-13.6) and in group B was 13.7 weeks (CI 12.5-14.9), but this difference was not significant (P = 0.13). Signals of correction loss occurred in one patient (4.35%) in group A, and in two patients (8.70%) in group B. All osteotomies had achieved bone union. It was concluded that time to bone union was not statistically different between the group with bone graft and the group without graft.

Opening-wedge High Tibial Osteotomy With And Without Bone Graft.

Medial opening-wedge has gained popularity in comparison to other techniques of high tibial osteotomy. This technique involves the creation of a gap in the tibia. Filling the gap with autologous iliac bone graft was recommended in the classic description, to prevent complications such as correction loss or delayed bone union. No previous reports have compared grafted and nongrafted osteotomies. This study hypothesized that the use of autologous bone graft in medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) less than 12.5 mm is unnecessary. A prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted. Forty-six opening-wedge high tibial osteotomies were carried out between April 2007 and December 2008. All had fixation with a type of Puddu stainless steel plate and screws. Patients were randomly divided by software analysis into two groups: group A had osteotomies that were filled with autologous bone graft and group B had osteotomies that were unfilled. Autologous iliac bone graft was harvested in both groups. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed twice monthly by blinded investigators. The rates of complications were compared between the groups. There was no difference in demographic data. Mean time to clinical bone union in group A was 12.4 weeks (confidence interval [CI] 11.2-13.6) and in group B was 13.7 weeks (CI 12.5-14.9), but this difference was not significant (P = 0.13). Signals of correction loss occurred in one patient (4.35%) in group A, and in two patients (8.70%) in group B. All osteotomies had achieved bone union. It was concluded that time to bone union was not statistically different between the group with bone graft and the group without graft.

Effectiveness of the open and closed kinetic chain exercises in the treatment of the patellofemoral pain syndrome

El objetivo de este estudio era analizar los efectos terapeuticos de los ejercicios en la cadena cinetica abierta (CCA) y la cadena cinetica cerrada (CCC) en el tratamiento del sindrome del dolor femoropatelar (SDFP). Para esto se ofrecieron 24 portadores de SDFP que fueron divididos aleatoriamente en dos grupos: Se agruparon en: los ejercicios I en CCA (el n = 12); y los ejercicios II en CCC (el n = 12). Los grupos se sometieron a ocho semanas consecutivas de tratamiento que consistio en tres sesiones semanales logradas en los dias alternados. Para los analisis de los modelos de activacion de los musculos medio oblicuo (VMO) y vasto lateral (VL) las senales electromiograficas (EMG) adquiridas con los electrodos bipolares de superficie, cuantificaron por la raiz cuadrada del promedio (la raiz el cuadrado - RMS) y se normalizo por el maximo de la reduccion isometrico voluntario del cuadriceps. A traves de balanzas se evaluo la intensidad del dolor y la funcionalidad de los voluntarios. El analisis de los valores de la razon VMO/VL en los grupos I y II demostramos que no habia diferencias significantes entre la veces de tiempos pre y post-tratamiento en las fases concentricas (el p > 0,05) y excentricas (el p > 0,05) de los ejercicios en CCA y CCC. A pesar de eso, el musculo VMO presento un punto de activacion mas pequeno respecto a VL en la fase excentrica del ejercicio en CCF. En ellos se encontraron aumentos significantes en la funcionalidad (p < 0,05) y en la reduccion de la intensidad del dolor (p < 0,05) entre veces de tiempo y post-tratamiento en ambos grupos, sin embargo, el de grupo II se mostraron superiores al grupo I en estas dos variables. Los resultados de este estudio sugieren que, de acuerdo con las condiciones experimentales usadas, los ejercicios en CCA y CCC no provocaron los cambios en los modelos de activacion EMG de los musculos VMO y VL, sin embargo, ellos promovieron mejora de la funcionalidad y reduccion de la intensidad del dolor despues de ocho semanas de intervencion, y los ejercicios en CCC eran superiores al de en CCA.The aim of this study was to analyze the therapeutic effects of the open kinetic chain (OKC) and closed kinetic chain (CKC) exercises to treat the patellofemoral syndrome (PFSD). For this, 24 volunteers, bearers of the PFSD were randomly divided in two groups: group I (n = 12) performed the OKC exercises; group II (n = 12) performed the CKC exercises. Both groups were submitted to eight consecutive weeks of treatment consisting of three weekly sessions performed in alternate days. To analyze the activation pattern of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) and the vastus lateralis (VL) muscles, the electromyographic signals (EMG) were collected using bipolar surface electrodes quantified by the root mean square (RMS) normalized by the maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the quadriceps. The pain intensity and the functionality of the volunteers were assessed using scales. The analysis of the amounts of the VMO/VL ratio in both groups I and II showed no significant differences as to the pre- and post-treatment times in the concentric (p > 0.05) and eccentric (p > 0.05) phases of the OKC and CKC exercises. Despite of this, the VMO muscle presented a lower activation rate compared to the VL in the eccentric phase of the CKC exercise. It was found significant increases in the functionality (p < 0.05), and a reduction in the pain intensity (p < 0.05) between the pre- and post-treatment times in both groups, but group II showed higher amounts compared to group I in both variables. The results found in this study suggest that according to the conditions of the trial, the OKC and CKC exercises provoke no changes in the patterns of the EMG activation in the VMO and VL muscles. However, they promoted an improvement in the functionality and a reduction in the pain intensity after the eight week intervention, and the CKC exercises presented better performances than OKC exercises.

Efetividade dos exercicios em cadeia cinetica aberta e cadeia cinetica fechada no tratamento da sindrome da dor femoropatelar

El objetivo de este estudio era analizar los efectos terapeuticos de los ejercicios en la cadena cinetica abierta (CCA) y la cadena cinetica cerrada (CCC) en el tratamiento del sindrome del dolor femoropatelar (SDFP). Para esto se ofrecieron 24 portadores de SDFP que fueron divididos aleatoriamente en dos grupos: Se agruparon en: los ejercicios I en CCA (el n = 12); y los ejercicios II en CCC (el n = 12). Los grupos se sometieron a ocho semanas consecutivas de tratamiento que consistio en tres sesiones semanales logradas en los dias alternados. Para los analisis de los modelos de activacion de los musculos medio oblicuo (VMO) y vasto lateral (VL) las senales electromiograficas (EMG) adquiridas con los electrodos bipolares de superficie, cuantificaron por la raiz cuadrada del promedio (la raiz el cuadrado - RMS) y se normalizo por el maximo de la reduccion isometrico voluntario del cuadriceps. A traves de balanzas se evaluo la intensidad del dolor y la funcionalidad de los voluntarios. El analisis de los valores de la razon VMO/VL en los grupos I y II demostramos que no habia diferencias significantes entre la veces de tiempos pre y post-tratamiento en las fases concentricas (el p > 0,05) y excentricas (el p > 0,05) de los ejercicios en CCA y CCC. A pesar de eso, el musculo VMO presento un punto de activacion mas pequeno respecto a VL en la fase excentrica del ejercicio en CCF. En ellos se encontraron aumentos significantes en la funcionalidad (p < 0,05) y en la reduccion de la intensidad del dolor (p < 0,05) entre veces de tiempo y post-tratamiento en ambos grupos, sin embargo, el de grupo II se mostraron superiores al grupo I en estas dos variables. Los resultados de este estudio sugieren que, de acuerdo con las condiciones experimentales usadas, los ejercicios en CCA y CCC no provocaron los cambios en los modelos de activacion EMG de los musculos VMO y VL, sin embargo, ellos promovieron mejora de la funcionalidad y reduccion de la intensidad del dolor despues de ocho semanas de intervencion, y los ejercicios en CCC eran superiores al de en CCA.The aim of this study was to analyze the therapeutic effects of the open kinetic chain (OKC) and closed kinetic chain (CKC) exercises to treat the patellofemoral syndrome (PFSD). For this, 24 volunteers, bearers of the PFSD were randomly divided in two groups: group I (n = 12) performed the OKC exercises; group II (n = 12) performed the CKC exercises. Both groups were submitted to eight consecutive weeks of treatment consisting of three weekly sessions performed in alternate days. To analyze the activation pattern of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) and the vastus lateralis (VL) muscles, the electromyographic signals (EMG) were collected using bipolar surface electrodes quantified by the root mean square (RMS) normalized by the maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the quadriceps. The pain intensity and the functionality of the volunteers were assessed using scales. The analysis of the amounts of the VMO/VL ratio in both groups I and II showed no significant differences as to the pre- and post-treatment times in the concentric (p > 0.05) and eccentric (p > 0.05) phases of the OKC and CKC exercises. Despite of this, the VMO muscle presented a lower activation rate compared to the VL in the eccentric phase of the CKC exercise. It was found significant increases in the functionality (p < 0.05), and a reduction in the pain intensity (p < 0.05) between the pre- and post-treatment times in both groups, but group II showed higher amounts compared to group I in both variables. The results found in this study suggest that according to the conditions of the trial, the OKC and CKC exercises provoke no changes in the patterns of the EMG activation in the VMO and VL muscles. However, they promoted an improvement in the functionality and a reduction in the pain intensity after the eight week intervention, and the CKC exercises presented better performances than OKC exercises.

Effect of Human Adipose Tissue Mesenchymal Stem Cells on the Regeneration of Ovine Articular Cartilage

Cell therapy is a promising approach to improve cartilage healing. Adipose tissue is an abundant and readily accessible cell source. Previous studies have demonstrated good cartilage repair results with adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells in small animal experiments. This study aimed to examine these cells in a large animal model. Thirty knees of adult sheep were randomly allocated to three treatment groups: CELLS (scaffold seeded with human adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells), SCAFFOLD (scaffold without cells), or EMPTY (untreated lesions). A partial thickness defect was created in the medial femoral condyle. After six months, the knees were examined according to an adaptation of the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS 1) score, in addition to a new Partial Thickness Model scale and the ICRS macroscopic score. All of the animals completed the follow-up period. The CELLS group presented with the highest ICRS 1 score (8.3 ± 3.1), followed by the SCAFFOLD group (5.6 ± 2.2) and the EMPTY group (5.2 ± 2.4) (p = 0.033). Other scores were not significantly different. These results suggest that human adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells promoted satisfactory cartilage repair in the ovine model.

Isokinetic evaluation after two-stage bicruciate reconstruction

Objective: To assess the functional balance of the knee after bicruciate reconstruction and its correlation with clinical score. Methods: 14 patients (11 men and three women), mean age 29.9±7.65 years, mean BMI 26.2±2.51 kg/m2 underwent surgical reconstruction of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) and Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in two stages, with a mean interval of 3 months between procedures. With a mean follow-up period of 27.33 months, the isokinetic knee analysis was performed at 60°/s and 180°/s and the Lysholm and Tegner scores were applied. Results: The Lysholm score was 86.8±11.1 points and the Tegner score showed a deficit of 30% compared to pre-injury level. In isokinetic evaluation, the deficit of the operated quadriceps average torque was 17.05% at 60°/s and 12.16% at 180°/s, while the average flexor torque deficit was 3.43% at 60°/s and 5.82% at 180°/s. Although it was observed torque deficit between members, there were no statistical differences regarding the functional balance between hamstrings and quadriceps. Conclusion: Although the results of isokinetic evaluation has shown a functional balance of the knee (flexor-extensor), which may have contributed to the good subjective Lysholm score in the bicruciate two-stage reconstruction, two-stage reconstruction did not restore the pre-injury functional level. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

Natural Type II Collagen Hydrogel, Fibrin Sealant, and Adipose-Derived Stem Cells as a Promising Combination for Articular Cartilage Repair

Objective Articular cartilage is an avascular tissue with limited ability of self-regeneration and the current clinical treatments have restricted capacity to restore damages induced by trauma or diseases. Therefore, new techniques are being tested for cartilage repair, using scaffolds and/or stem cells. Although type II collagen hydrogel, fibrin sealant, and adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) represent suitable alternatives for cartilage formation, their combination has not yet been investigated in vivo for focal articular cartilage defects. We performed a simple experimental procedure using the combination of these 3 compounds on cartilage lesions of rabbit knees. Design The hydrogel was developed in house and was first tested in vitro for chondrogenic differentiation. Next, implants were performed in chondral defects with or without ASCs and the degree of regeneration was macroscopically and microscopically evaluated. Results Production of proteoglycans and the increased expression of collagen type II (COL2α1), aggrecan (ACAN), and sex-determining region Y-box 9 (SOX9) confirmed the chondrogenic character of ASCs in the hydrogel in vitro. Importantly, the addition of ASC induced a higher overall repair of the chondral lesions and a better cellular organization and collagen fiber alignment compared with the same treatment without ASCs. This regenerating tissue also presented the expression of cartilage glycosaminoglycan and type II collagen. Conclusions Our results indicate that the combination of the 3 compounds is effective for articular cartilage repair and may be of future clinical interest.

Use of the second harmonic generation microscopy to evaluate chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells for cartilage repair

Articular cartilage injury remains one of the major concerns in orthopedic surgery. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation has been introduced to avoid some of the side effects and complications of current techniques.. With the aim to evaluate chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, we used Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) microscopy to analyze the aggregation and orientation of collagen fibrils in the hyaline cartilage of rabbit knees. The experiment was performed using implants with type II collagen hydrogel (a biomaterial that mimics the microenvironment of the cartilage), one implant containing MSC and one other without MSC (control). After 10 weeks, the rabbit knees were dissected and fibril collagen distribution and spatial organization in the extracellular matrix of the lesions were verified by SHG. The result showed significant differences, whereas in histological sections of the cartilaginous lesions with MSC the collagen fibers are organized and regular; in the control sections the collagen fibers are more irregular, with absence of cells. A macroscopic analysis of the lesions confirmed this difference, showing a greater percentage of lesions filling in knees treated with MSC than in the knees used as controls. This study demonstrates that SHG microscopy will be an excellent tool to help in the evaluation of the effectiveness of MSC-based cell therapy for cartilage repair.

Correlation between symptoms and sagittal alignment parameters in patients with lumbar canal stenosis: a case-control study

OBJETIVO: Analizar la relacion entre los parametros del equilibrio sagital y los diversos sintomas de enfermedad espinal en pacientes con estenosis del canal lumbar (ECL) y sus controles. METODOS: En esta perspectiva, de estudio de diagnostico, de control de casos, incluimos a todos los pacientes admitidos, consecutivamente, a un hospital universitario publico para tratamiento quirurgico de ECL, desde julio de 2010 hasta octubre de 2011, con mas de 40 anos de edad, con dolor de espaldas mas radiculopatia o claudicacion neurogenica, y controles sin ECL. La resonancia magnetica y los rayos X permitieron hacer la medicion de los parametros del eje sagital. Los datos clinicos, el Indice de Incapacidad de Oswestry y la escala analoga, visual de dolor fueron evaluados. RESULTADOS: 23 pacientes estuvieron en el grupo de Estenosis y 17 fueron los controles. El grupo de Estenosis presento valores mas bajos de lordosis lumbopelvica total y lordosis regional en L1, L2 y L3. En pacientes con ECL y dolores de espaldas, la lordosis lumbopelvica total y la regional, en L1, L2 y L3, fueron mas leves. Aquellos pacientes, con estenosis y radiculopatia, tuvieron valores mas altos de inclinacion pelvica y mas leve lordosis lumbopelvica total y lordosis regional en L1 y L2. En pacientes con claudicacion, la lordosis lumbopelvica regional en L1 y L2, y la compensacion sagital en T9 fueron menos pronunciadas. En comparacion con los pacientes que no sentian dolores, todos los pacientes con dolores tenian valores mas altos de cifosis toracica y de lordosis lumbopelvica regional en L1, valores mas bajos de inclinacion pelvica, compensacion sagital en T1, distancia sacrofemoral y saliente. CONCLUSIONES: Este estudio muestra correlaciones importantes entre sintomas y parametros del eje sagital referentes a pacientes con y sin estenosis del canal espinal, y tambien en subgrupos de los pacientes con estenosis que presentaron diversas quejas.

Modificações biomecânicas na marcha de indivíduos com osteoartrite medial do joelho

Objective Demonstrate the presence and magnitude of biomechanical variables during gait in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA) and the relationship with the knee loading. Methods Gait of 21 subjects diagnosed with medial knee OA was evaluated and compared to the control group. Results The group with OA showed: Lower gait speed (0.8 ± 0.1 vs. 1.1 ± 0.1m/s), higher peak early (2.6 ± 1.2 vs. 0.3 ± 1.4 Nm/Kg) and late peak of the adduction moment (1.8 ± 0.7 vs. 0.9 ± 0.2 Nm/Kg), higher peak flexor moment (1.6 ± 0.9 vs. 0.6 ± 0.4 Nm/Kg), high dynamic peak varus (11.5º ± 8.3 vs. 3º ± 3.9), higher peak flexion (15.6º ± 8 vs. 9.3º to ± 4.1), with a flexion tendency (5.5º ± 8.5) in the stance phase, smaller peak of flexion (58.7º ± 13.3 vs. 67.5º ± 4.8) in the balance phase and higher peaks of external rotation (25.5º ± 12.7 vs. 0.5º ± 22.4). Conclusion Patients with medial knee OA show changes in gait with increased external rotation, speed reduction, increased flexor moment and flexion in the stance phase, insufficient for reduction of the load. Level of Evidence III, Case Control Study.OBJETIVE: Demonstrate the presence and magnitude of biomechanical variables during gait in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA) and the relationship with the knee loading. METHODS: Gait of 21 subjects diagnosed with medial knee OA was evaluated and compared to the control group. RESULTS: The group with OA showed: Lower gait speed (0.8 ± 0.1 vs. 1.1 ± 0.1m/s), higher peak early (2.6 ± 1.2 vs. 0.3 ± 1.4 Nm/Kg) and late peak of the adduction moment (1.8 ± 0.7 vs. 0.9 ± 0.2 Nm/Kg), higher peak flexor moment (1.6 ± 0.9 vs. 0.6 ± 0.4 Nm/Kg) , high dynamic peak varus (11.5 ± 8.3 vs. 3o ± 3.9), higher peak flexion (15.6o ± 8 vs. 9.3o to ± 4.1), with a flexion tendency (5.5 o ± 8.5) in the stance phase, smaller peak of flexion (58.7o ± 13.3 vs. 67.5 o ± 4.8) in the balance phase and and higher peaks of external rotation (25.5o ± 12.7 vs. 0.5o ± 22.4). CONCLUSION: Patients with medial knee OA show changes in gait with increased external rotation, speed reduction, increased flexor moment and flexion in the stance phase, insufficient for reduction of the load. Level of Evidence III, Case Control Study.