Marco Rizzo

Chondrosarcoma of bone: analysis of 108 cases and evaluation for predictors of outcome.

Chondrosarcoma is the second most common malignant bone tumor and is relatively unresponsive to chemotherapy and radiation regimens. In addition, the clinical course of chondrosarcoma is difficult to predict. The purpose of this study was to review the authors’ experience with chondrosarcoma and ascertain any factors related to prognosis and clinical outcome. The medical records of 108 patients followed up for a minimum of 2 years were retrospectively reviewed. There were 31 low-grade and 77 high-grade chondrosarcomas. One hundred one patients underwent surgical resection. There was a statistically significant association between positive margins and local recurrence, metastasis, and death. Tumor grade was not predictive of outcome. Proliferation indices (MIB-1 expression determination through immunohistochemistry) were quantitated in 39 patients. A significant association was seen between MIB-1 expression and recurrence and death. Thus, objective quantitation of tumor proliferation was more predictive than was histologic grade of outcome in chondrosarcoma. Although histologic grade continues to be the standard grading system for chondrosarcoma, the current study contributes to ongoing research and validation of alternative techniques that may be more reliable in guiding prognosis and treatment of chondrosarcoma.

Giant-cell tumor of the appendicular skeleton.

The common objective of all surgical procedures in the treatment of giant-cell tumor of bone is to minimize the incidence of local recurrence. The purpose of this study was to determine what, if any, patient factors, tumor characteristics, or surgical practices correlate with local recurrence. Seventy-five patients treated for a giant-cell tumor of the appendicular skeleton were followed up for at least 2 years. The mean duration of followup was 62 months (range, 24–224 months). The highest proportion of patients had intralesional curettage, high-speed burring, and adjuvant treatment. Ten patients (13%) had a local recurrence. Bivariate analysis revealed that, with the numbers available, none of the patient variables, tumor variables, or surgical approaches correlated with local recurrence. Post hoc power analysis revealed the power of the study to be 33% to detect a clinically significant difference between treatment groups. The data presented here potentially could contribute to a metaanalysis, which would have the statistical power to determine which tumor-related factors and surgical techniques are most important in predicting recurrence in giant-cell tumor of bone.

Long-Term Outcomes of Trapeziometacarpal Arthrodesis in the Management of Trapeziometacarpal Arthritis

PURPOSE Reported outcomes of trapeziometacarpal (TM) arthrodesis have been contradictory. The purpose of this paper is to review the long-term results of TM arthrodesis for arthritis with respect to clinical outcomes, union, development of adjacent joint arthritis, and complications. METHODS A retrospective review of TM arthrodeses performed between 1970 and 2003 was undertaken. Among a total of 241 arthrodeses performed, 126 thumbs in 114 patients (79 women, 35 men) treated for osteoarthritis were available for follow-up evaluation. Pre- and postoperative clinical and radiographic data were reviewed. The average age was 57 years (range 32-77). The dominant hand was involved in 76 cases. Supplemental bone graft was used in 90 thumbs. Preoperative appositional (key) pinch, oppositional (tip) pinch, and grip strengths were 3.0 kg, 2.7 kg, and 14 kg, respectively. The average pain score on a scale of 0-10 was 6.6 (range 4-10). The average follow-up was 11.2 years (range 3-28 years). RESULTS There were 17 nonunions. No correlation existed between the incidence of nonunion and the use of supplemental bone graft. Nine of 17 thumbs had re-operation, including revision arthrodesis (6) and interposition or suspensionplasty (3). The appositional pinch, oppositional pinch, and grip strengths improved to 5.9 kg, 5.4 kg, and 23 kg, respectively (p < .01). The average pain score improved to 0.4 (p < .01). Radiographic progression of scaphotrapeziotrapezoid arthritis occurred in 39 cases; however, only 8 of these were symptomatic. Development of metacarpophalangeal arthritis was noted in 16 thumbs; none have been clinically relevant. CONCLUSIONS For most patients TM arthrodesis reduces pain, improves function and results in excellent patient satisfaction. Despite the development of metacarpophalangeal and scaphotrapeziotrapezoid joint arthritis, intervention for these joints was rarely warranted. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic IV.

Early Outcomes of Pyrolytic Carbon Hemiarthroplasty for the Treatment of Trapezial-Metacarpal Arthritis

PURPOSE Pyrolytic carbon implants have been successfully used in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints. Recently, pyrolytic carbon hemiarthroplasties have been proposed for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the trapezial-metacarpal (TM) joint of the thumb. We wished to review our short-term outcomes for this device in the treatment of TM arthritis. METHODS Fifty-four arthritic TM joints in 49 patients, with a mean age of 59 years, were treated with use of a pyrolytic carbon hemiarthroplasty procedure. Underlying diagnoses included osteoarthritis in 44 thumbs, rheumatoid arthritis in 8 thumbs, psoriatic arthritis in 1 thumb, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in 1 thumb. The patients were followed up clinically as well as radiologically for an average of 22 months postoperatively. RESULTS The overall 22-month survival rate excluding scaphotrapezio-trapezoidal joint arthritis was 80% according to a Kaplan-Meier analysis. Ten metacarpal subluxations were observed. Seven of these cases were salvaged by increasing the depth of the trapezial cup. A total of 15 reoperations were required in this cohort. No complications were seen in the patients with inflammatory arthritis. Thirty-five patients were pain free at the latest follow-up, and 6 reported mild to occasional pain with repetitive activities. The overall satisfaction rate was 40 of 49 patients (81%). Grip strength recovered to 86% of that of the contralateral side. Apposition key and opposition pinch strength improved to 92% and 95%, respectively, of those of the contralateral hand. CONCLUSIONS Pyrolytic carbon thumb arthroplasty may prove to be an acceptable option for the treatment of TM, although a high complication rate was observed in this early cohort, with many cases of subluxation attributed to the creation of a too shallow trapezial cup. Further comparative studies are warranted. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic IV.

Results of biaxial total wrist arthroplasty with a modified (long) metacarpal stem.

PURPOSE To evaluate the results of Biaxial (DePuy Orthopedics, Inc., Warsaw, IN) total wrist arthroplasty (TWA) with a long metacarpal stem. METHODS A retrospective review of the results of 17 long-stem metacarpal components for the Biaxial TWA implanted between 1993 and 1997 is presented. RESULTS After surgery pain and grip strength improved markedly. Overall motion improved but only radial deviation was significantly better. All of the patients were satisfied. At the most recent follow-up evaluation 4 cases showed evidence of radiographic lucency about the cement mantle, but with no gross loosening or settling. No failures at a greater than 6-year average (4-year minimum) follow-up period have been noted. Two cases of intraoperative third metacarpal fracture and one case of dorsal metacarpal component placement were encountered but did not affect the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS To date the survivorship of the Biaxial TWA with the long stem is favorable compared with previous reports with the standard Biaxial distal component.

Metacarpophalangeal Joint Arthritis

Arthritis of the metacarpophalangeal joint can result in considerable disability and pain. Inflammatory, posttraumatic, crystalline, and osteoarthritis are common etiologies of joint disease. A variety of nonsurgical treatment options have been shown to be effective, including activity modification, anti-inflammatory medications, splinting, and cortisone injections. In addition, newer generation disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs geared toward the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis have shown promise in retarding the inflammatory process. Another, relatively newer, conservative treatment option includes topical anti-inflammatories such as diclofenac sodium that are now approved by the Federal Drug Administration. Surgical treatment options most commonly include arthroplasty and arthrodesis. In the treatment of thumb metacarpophalangeal arthritis, arthrodesis is a popular and generally reliable surgical solution. In the fingers, arthroplasty remains the most common treatment option. Traditional constrained silicone joint replacements remain the most commonly used. Newer generation, unconstrained, surface replacement arthroplasties have shown promise in the treatment of osteoarthritis and select cases of inflammatory arthritis in which there is good bone stock, no or minimal deformity, adequate supporting soft tissues, and good disease control.

Sonographically guided percutaneous first annular pulley release: cadaveric safety study of needle and knife techniques.

Objective. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety of sonographically guided percutaneous finger and thumb first annular (A1) pulley releases performed using needle and hook knife techniques in an unembalmed cadaveric model. Methods. A single operator completed 50 (40 fingers and 10 thumbs) sonographically guided percutaneous A1 pulley releases in unembalmed cadavers using previously described needle and hook knife techniques and simulated local anesthesia. Half of the fingers and thumbs were completed with each technique. An experienced observer blinded to the technique dissected each specimen and assessed for neurovascular, flexor tendon, and A2 pulley injury. Completeness of release was also recorded as a secondary outcome. Results. No neurovascular or A2 pulley injury occurred in any digit, regardless of technique. No significant flexor tendon injury was seen in any digit, although minor surface scratches were visualized in 3 cases (6%; 2 knife and 1 needle). The hook knife technique was significantly more likely to result in a complete pulley release compared to the needle technique (22 of 25 [88%] versus 8 of 25 [32%]; P < .001). Conclusions. Sonographically guided percutaneous A1 pulley releases can be performed safely using previously described needle and hook knife techniques. The safety margin for thumb releases is less than that for finger releases, particularly with respect to the radial digital nerve. These cadaveric data support recently published clinical investigations recommending consideration of sonographically guided percutaneous A1 pulley release in the management of patients with a disabling trigger finger.

Juxtaphyseal aneurysmal bone cysts

Aneurysmal bone cysts are benign primary or secondary lesions that commonly arise in long bones and often before skeletal maturity. Little has been written about aneurysmal bone cysts that abut the physeal plate. The records of 15 patients with juxtaphyseal aneurysmal bone cysts were reviewed. Fourteen of the patients were referred with abnormal radiographs after evaluation for pain in the affected limb. One patient presented with abnormal radiographs after fracture about the aneurysmal bone cyst. None of the patients had evidence of growth plate disruption. The childrens ages ranged from 2 to 14 years, with a mean of 9.8 years. There were 10 boys and five girls. Lesion locations included: six in the proximal tibia, three in the distal fibula, two in the distal tibia, two in the proximal femur, one in the distal femur, and one in the distal radius. All of the lesions abutted the physeal plate and fell into one of the types in Campanaccis classification of juxtaphyseal aneurysmal bone cysts. Three lesions were classified as Type 1, eight were Type 2, and four were Type 3. This study included no cases of Type 4 or 5 lesions. Treatment of all lesions consisted of excision, curettage, and bone grafting with care taken to preserve the growth plate. Adjunctive cauterization was performed in two cases. There were no incidences of postoperative physeal plate arrest. Overgrowth of the fibula occurred in one patient. Three patients experienced recurrent lesions. One of the children underwent repeat curettage and bone grafting with no additional recurrence. In the other two children with recurrence, the lesion had grown away from the physeal plate while remaining static in size and asymptomatic. Based on this study, juxtaphyseal aneurysmal bone cysts may be treated satisfactorily with intralesional surgery and bone grafting with expectation of normal physeal growth.

Wrist arthrodesis as a salvage procedure for failed implant arthroplasty

Salvage of failed total wrist arthroplasty by arthrodesis may be difficult because of bone loss and poor quality of bone and soft tissues. We examined the outcomes of wrist arthrodesis for failed total wrist arthroplasty in a retrospective study of 21 wrists in 17 patients. Clinical data, radiographs, patient-reported outcomes and DASH questionnaires were used. Thirteen women and four men had undergone total wrist arthroplasty at an average age of 55 years. The mode of failure was aseptic loosening in 13 wrists. The average time from the index arthroplasty to wrist arthrodesis was 7.6 years. Autograft and/or allograft bone graft was used in all of the wrists. Arthrodesis was achieved in 11 wrists and ten had a nonunion. Six arthrodeses underwent eight revisions for nonunion, with two achieving union. The mean DASH score was 29 in wrists that fused and 36 in those that did not fuse. Pain scores averaged 2.1 in the wrists that fused and 3.3 in the nonunion group. Most patients had clinical improvement.

The stabilizing effect of the distal interosseous membrane on the distal radioulnar joint in an ulnar shortening procedure: A biomechanical study

BACKGROUND The importance of the stabilizing effect of the distal interosseous membrane on the distal radioulnar joint, especially in patients with a distal oblique bundle, has been described. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stability of the distal radioulnar joint after an ulnar shortening osteotomy and to quantify longitudinal resistance to ulnar shortening when the osteotomy was proximal or distal to the ulnar attachment of the distal interosseous membrane. These relationships were characterized for forearms with or without a distal oblique bundle. METHODS Ten fresh-frozen cadavers were used. A transverse osteotomy and ulnar shortening was performed proximal (proximal shortening) and distal (distal shortening) to the ulnar attachment of the distal interosseous membrane. Distal radioulnar joint laxity was evaluated as the volar and dorsal displacements of the radius relative to the fixed ulna with 20 N of applied force. Testing was performed under controlled 1-mm increments of ulnar shortening up to 4 mm, with the forearm in neutral alignment, 60° of pronation, and 60° of supination. Resistance to ulnar shortening was quantified as the slope of the load-displacement curve obtained by displacing the distal ulnar segment proximally. RESULTS In proximal shortening, significantly greater stability of the distal radioulnar joint was obtained with even 1 mm of shortening compared with the control, whereas distal shortening demonstrated significant improvement in stability of the distal radioulnar joint only after shortening of ≥4 mm in all rotational positions. Significantly greater stability of the distal radioulnar joint was achieved with proximal shortening than with distal shortening and in specimens with a distal oblique bundle than in those without a distal oblique bundle. The longitudinal resistance to ulnar shortening was significantly greater in proximal shortening than in distal shortening. The stiffness in proximal shortening was not affected by the presence of a distal oblique bundle in the distal interosseous membrane. CONCLUSIONS Ulnar shortening with the osteotomy carried out proximal to the attachment of the distal interosseous membrane had a more favorable effect on stability of the distal radioulnar joint compared with distal osteotomy, especially in the presence of a distal oblique bundle.