Jong-Keun Seon

A Comparative Study of Meniscectomy and Nonoperative Treatment for Degenerative Horizontal Tears of the Medial Meniscus

Background: It is still debated whether a degenerative horizontal tear of the medial meniscus should be treated with surgery. Hypothesis: The clinical outcomes of arthroscopic meniscectomy will be better than those of nonoperative treatment for a degenerative horizontal tear of the medial meniscus. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: A total of 102 patients with knee pain and a degenerative horizontal tear of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus on magnetic resonance imaging were included in this study between January 2007 and July 2009. The study included 81 female and 21 male patients with an average age of 53.8 years (range, 43-62 years). Fifty patients underwent arthroscopic meniscectomy (meniscectomy group), and 52 patients underwent nonoperative treatment with strengthening exercises (nonoperative group). Functional outcomes were compared using a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, Lysholm knee score, Tegner activity scale, and patient subjective knee pain and satisfaction. Radiological evaluations were performed using the Kellgren-Lawrence classification to evaluate osteoarthritic changes. Results: In terms of clinical outcomes, meniscectomy did not provide better functional improvement than nonoperative treatment. At the final follow-up, the average VAS scores were 1.8 (range, 1-5) in the meniscectomy group and 1.7 (range, 1-4) in the nonoperative group (P = .675). The average Lysholm knee scores at 2-year follow-up were 83.2 (range, 52-100) and 84.3 (range, 58-100) in the meniscectomy and nonoperative groups, respectively (P = .237). In addition, the average Tegner activity scale and subjective satisfaction scores were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Although most patients initially had intense knee pain with mechanical symptoms, both groups reported a relief in knee pain, improved knee function, and a high level of satisfaction with treatment (P < .05 for all values). Two patients in the meniscectomy group and 3 in the nonoperative group with Kellgren-Lawrence grade 1 progressed to grade 2 at the 2-year follow-up. Conclusion: There were no significant differences between arthroscopic meniscectomy and nonoperative management with strengthening exercises in terms of relief in knee pain, improved knee function, or increased satisfaction in patients after 2 years of follow-up.

Second-Look Arthroscopic Findings and Clinical Outcomes after Microfracture for Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus:

Background Arthroscopic microfracture is frequently used to repair osteochondral lesions of the talus. However, despite the popularity of this technique, no study has been conducted on cartilage repair after microfracture by second-look arthroscopy. Purpose The purpose of the present study was to evaluate cartilage repair in osteochondral lesions of the talus by second-look arthroscopy and to compare arthroscopic findings with clinical outcomes 12 months postoperatively. Study Design Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods Second-look arthroscopies were performed in 20 ankles of 19 patients at 12 months postoperatively. Arthroscopic findings were classified using the Ferkel and Cheng staging system, and cartilage repair was assessed using the International Cartilage Repair System (ICRS). Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale. Results According to the Ferkel and Cheng staging at second-look arthroscopy, 7 of the 20 ankles (35%) showed incomplete healing (stage D). In terms of ICRS overall repair grades, 8 ankles (40%) were abnormal (grade III). Mean AOFAS scores for Ferkel and Cheng stages A to C (n 5 13) and stage D (n 5 7) were 88.5 and 82.0 points, and those for ICRS repair grades I and II (n 5 12) and grade III (n 5 8) were 88.7 and 82.5, respectively. Good correlations were found between AOFAS scores and Ferkel and Cheng stages and ICRS grades. Overall, 90% of ankles achieved an excellent or good AOFAS score of over 80 points. Conclusion Second-look arthroscopic findings at 12 months postoperatively after microfracture for osteochondral lesions of the talus revealed that 40% of lesions were incompletely healed. Nevertheless, the majority of patients achieved a good clinical outcome. Furthermore, postoperative clinical scores were found to be correlated with ICRS repair grades.

The complications of high tibial osteotomy: CLOSING- VERSUS OPENING-WEDGE METHODS

We compared the incidence and severity of complications during and after closing- and opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy used for the treatment of varus arthritis of the knee, and identified the risk factors associated with the development of complications. In total, 104 patients underwent laterally based closing-wedge and 90 medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy between January 1993 and December 2006. The characteristics of each group were similar. All the patients were followed up for more than 12 months. We assessed the outcome using the Hospital for Special Surgery knee score, and recorded the complications. Age, gender, obesity (body mass index > 27.5 kg/m(2)), the type of osteotomy (closing versus opening) and the pre-operative mechanical axis were subjected to risk-factor analysis. The mean Hospital for Special Surgery score in the closing and opening groups improved from 73.4 (54 to 86) to 91.8 (81 to 100) and from 73.8 (56 to 88) to 93 (84 to 100), respectively. The incidence of complications overall and of major complications in both groups was not significantly different (p = 0.20 overall complication, p = 0.29 major complication). Logistic regression analysis adjusting for obesity and the pre-operative mechanical axis showed that obesity remained a significant independent risk factor (odds ratio = 3.23) of a major complication after high tibial osteotomy. Our results suggest that the opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy can be an alternative treatment option for young patients with medial compartment osteoarthritis and varus deformity.

Comparison of static and mobile antibiotic-impregnated cement spacers for the treatment of infected total knee arthroplasty

Infection after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a devastating complication, and two-stage reimplantation has evolved as an effective treatment option. This study was undertaken to compare the clinical results and radiological changes associated with static or mobile cement spacer placement for the treatment of infected TKA. Between July 2000 and February 2007, 36 consecutive patients were treated by two-stage reimplantation using antibiotic-impregnated cement spacers (AICS) for infected TKAs. Static spacers were used in 20 knees and mobile spacers in 16 knees. Clinical outcomes included success rates of TKR revisions, ranges of motion (ROM), and Hospital for Special Surgery knee scores (HSS), pain and function scores of the Knee Society (KS), joint exposure methods, and bone loss. In this study, mobile spacers provided better ranges of motion and functional knee scores without concomitant increases in infection rate and bone loss in the initial and mid-term periods.

Erratum to: Robotic-assisted TKA Reduces Postoperative Alignment Outliers and Improves Gap Balance Compared to Conventional TKA

In the third sentence of the Patients and Methods section it states, ‘‘We considered patients with primary osteoarthritis of the knee and a mechanical axis between 20 and 5 valgus’’. However, the sentence should state, ‘‘We considered patients with primary osteoarthritis of the knee and a mechanical axis between 20 varus and 5 valgus’’. In addition, Dr. Yim’s degree is MD rather than MD, PhD. He currently is studying for his PhD degree.

Progression of osteoarthritis after double- and single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Background: No consensus has been reached on the advantages of double-bundle (DB) anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) over the single-bundle (SB) technique, particularly with respect to the prevention of osteoarthritis (OA) after ACLR. Purpose: To evaluate whether DB ACLR has any advantages in the prevention of OA or provides better stability and function after ACLR compared with the SB technique. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 130 patients with an ACL injury in one knee were prospectively randomized into a DB group (n = 65) or an SB group (n = 65). For the radiologic evaluation, we determined the degree of OA based on the Kellgren-Lawrence grade before the operation and at the time of the final follow-up and determined the number of patients with progression of OA more than one grade from pre- to postoperation. We evaluated the stability results using the Lachman and pivot-shift tests and stress radiography. We also compared the functional outcomes based on the Lysholm knee score, Tegner activity score, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective scale. Results: Six patients (4 in the DB group and 2 in the SB group) suffered graft failure during the follow-up and had ACL revision surgery (P = .06). A total of 112 patients were observed for a minimum of 4 years (DB group, n = 52; SB group, n = 60). Five patients (9.6%) in the DB group and 6 patients (10%) in the SB group had more advanced OA at the final follow-up (P = .75). All patients recovered full range of motion within 6 months from surgery. Stability results of the Lachman test, pivot-shift test, and the radiographic stability test failed to reveal any significant intergroup differences (P = .37, .27, and .67, respectively). In the pivot-shift result, the DB group had 4 patients with grade 2 and the SB group had 3 patients with grade 2 (P = .27). Clinical outcomes, including Lysholm knee and Tegner activity scores, were similar in the 2 groups. Statistical significance was achieved only for the IKDC subjective scale (78.2 in DB group vs 73.1 in SB group; P = .03). Conclusion: The DB technique, compared with SB, was not more effective in preventing OA and did not have a more favorable failure rate. Although the DB ACLR technique produced a better IKDC subjective scale result than did the SB ACLR technique, the 2 modalities were similar in terms of clinical outcomes and stability after a minimum 4 years of follow-up.

Heterotopic Ossification After Primary Total Ankle Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND Heterotopic ossification following lower-limb joint arthroplasty is a challenging clinical problem. No comprehensive study has been conducted on heterotopic ossification after total ankle arthroplasty, to our knowledge. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and location of heterotopic ossification after primary total ankle arthroplasty, predisposing factors, and effects on clinical outcomes, and to develop a method of classification. METHODS Eighty ankles in eighty patients with a primary total ankle arthroplasty were followed for a mean (and standard deviation) of 31.9 ± 11.3 months (range, twenty-four to sixty-five months). The prevalence and location of heterotopic ossification, predisposing factors, and outcomes were analyzed, and a method of classification was developed. RESULTS Twenty (25%) of the eighty ankles demonstrated postoperative heterotopic ossification, with the majority of the cases in the posterior aspect of the ankle. The heterotopic ossification was Class I in four cases (20%); Class II, in five (25%); Class III, in four (20%); and Class IV, in seven (35%). Symptomatic heterotopic ossification was reported in eight patients (10%), and two required surgical resection because of intractable pain. Ankles that developed heterotopic ossification had significantly longer operative times, less postoperative motion, and lower American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot scores at the six, twelve, and twenty-four-month follow-up examinations (p < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that the prevalence of heterotopic ossification following primary total ankle arthroplasty is considerable, and that heterotopic ossification is associated with reduced ankle motion and a poor clinical outcome at a mean of two years postoperatively. Care is needed to attempt to reduce the occurrence of heterotopic ossification.

Arthroscopic Subtalar Arthrodesis Using a Posterior 2-Portal Approach in the Prone Position

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of posterior arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis (ASTA) by use of a posterior 2-portal approach in the prone position and to describe the surgical technique. METHODS Between September 2004 and December 2006, posterior ASTA was performed in 16 patients (all men) with post-traumatic subtalar arthritis after an intra-articular fracture of the calcaneus. The mean age was 44 years (range, 20 to 64 years). The mean follow-up period was 30 months (range, 20 to 46 months). According to the Sanders classification of calcaneal fractures, 2 patients had type IIA fractures, 3 had type IIIB fractures, 6 had type IIIAC fractures, and 5 had type IIIBC fractures. The technique involved using posteromedial and posterolateral portals in the prone position, posterior talocalcaneal facet debridement, and percutaneous posterior fixation with 2 cannulated screws. Clinical results were evaluated by use of the ankle-hindfoot scale of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS), the Angus and Cowell scoring system, and postoperative complications. To assess union rate and time to union, radiographic evaluations were also performed. RESULTS The mean modified AOFAS score (maximum, 94 points) improved from 35 points (range, 24 to 45 points) preoperatively to 84 points (range, 71 to 94 points) at final follow-up. According to the Angus and Cowell criteria, 13 patients had a good rating, 2 had a fair rating, and 1 had a poor rating because of nonunion. The union rate was 94% at a mean of 11 weeks, and nonunion occurred in 1 case. No other postoperative complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS ASTA in the prone position through a posterior 2-portal approach provided safe access and superior visualization of the posterior talocalcaneal facet and easy fixation of posterior screws. This technique also provided good clinical outcomes (good results in 81% of patients according to the Angus and Cowell scoring system and a mean modified AOFAS score of 84 points) and a 94% union rate at a mean of 11 weeks.

Comparison of Early Versus Delayed Weightbearing Outcomes After Microfracture for Small to Midsized Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus

Background: The initiation of weightbearing is the focus of postoperative treatment after microfracture for osteochondral lesions of the talus. However, no comparative clinical study has been performed on early and delayed weightbearing after microfracture for osteochondral lesions of the talus. Purpose: The aim of this prospective study was to compare the clinical results of early and delayed weightbearing after microfracture of small to midsized osteochondral lesions of the talus. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Eighty-one ankles in 81 patients with a single osteochondral lesion of the talus that had been treated by arthroscopic microfracture constituted the study cohort. Ankles were allocated to either a delayed weightbearing (DWB) group (41 ankles) or an early weightbearing (EWB) group (40 ankles). These 2 groups were comparable with regard to preoperative data. Postoperatively, patients in the DWB group maintained nonweightbearing for 6 weeks, but the EWB group was allowed early weightbearing (as tolerated) at 2 weeks. American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale score, visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain, and ankle activity score (AAS) were used to evaluate clinical outcomes, and the overall mean follow-up duration was 37 months (range, 24-76 months). Results: Mean AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scores were 64.9 points in the DWB group and 66.5 points in the EWB group preoperatively, and these improved to 89.5 and 89.3 at the final follow-up visits, respectively. Mean VAS scores were 7.3 points in the DWB group and 7.4 points in the EWB group preoperatively and 1.9 and 1.8 at final follow-up, respectively. Mean AAS in the DWB and EWB groups improved from 3.0 and 3.0 preoperatively to 6.0 and 6.0 at final follow-up, respectively. No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in terms of the AOFAS score, VAS score, and AAS. Conclusion: Two postoperative treatments differing by weightbearing status after arthroscopic microfracture for small to midsized osteochondral lesions of the talus showed good clinical results and similar outcomes in terms of the AOFAS score, VAS score, and AAS. The study shows that early weightbearing postoperative regimens can be recommended for patients treated by microfracture for small to midsized osteochondral lesions of the talus.

Third-Generation Ceramic-On-Ceramic Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients Younger Than 30 Years with Osteonecrosis of Femoral Head

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functional and radiographic results of patients younger than 30 years who underwent cementless third-generation ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty for osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Forty-one patients (56 hips) with a minimum follow-up of 6 years were included. In all cases, third-generation ceramic-on-ceramic articulation was used. Average Harris Hip Scores improved from 52.9 preoperatively to 98.2, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score, from 95.2 to 25.2. Thirty-nine patients returned to their normal occupations. No aseptic loosening or osteolysis was observed. Total hip arthroplasty performed using third-generation ceramic-on-ceramic bearings for osteonecrosis of femoral head was found to provide satisfactory clinical and radiologic results, especially in active, young patients.