Background:
Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain. Corticosteroid injections are commonly used and proven to be effective, and lately platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been used with mixed ...results.
Purpose:
To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing intralesional injections of PRP and steroid infiltration.
Study Design:
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Methods:
A systematic review of Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar including all level 1 and 2 studies from 2010 to 2019 was perfomed. American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society and visual analog scale for pain scores were used as outcome variables. Publication bias and risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration tools. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations system was used to assess the quality of the body of evidence. Heterogeneity was assessed with χ2 and I2 statistics.
Results:
Fifteen studies were included in the analysis. Nine studies had a high risk of bias. There was 1 study with high quality, 9 with moderate, 2 studies with low, and 3 with very low quality. The pooled estimate for the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score demonstrated nonsignificant differences at 1 month (P = .4) and 3 months (P = .076). At 6 months (P = .009) and 12 months (P = .009), it indicated significant differences in favor of PRP. The pooled estimate for visual analog scale demonstrated nonsignificant differences at 1 month (P = .653). At 3 months (P = .0001), 6 months (P = .002), and 12 months (P = .019), it yielded significant differences in favor of PRP.
Conclusion:
The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that PRP is superior to corticosteroid injections for pain control at 3 months and lasts up to 1 year. In the short term, there is no advantage of corticosteroid infiltration. However, the low study quality, high risk of bias, and different protocols for PRP preparation reduce the internal and external validity of these findings, and these results must be viewed with caution.
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing intra-articular knee injection of PRP and hyaluronic acid and investigate clinical outcomes and ...pain at both 6 and 12 months.
Methods
A systematic review of Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar was performed in the English and German literature reporting on intra-articular knee injections for knee osteoarthritis. All level 1 and 2 studies with a minimum of 6-month follow-up in patients with knee osteoarthritis from 2010 to 2019 were included. Clinical outcome was assessed by WOMAC and IKDC scores and pain by VAS and WOMAC pain scores. Subgroup analysis for autologous platelet-rich plasma (ACP) was performed. Publication bias and risk of bias were assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tools. The GRADE system was used to assess the quality of the body of evidence. Heterogeneity was assessed using χ
2
and
I
2
statistics.
Results
Twelve studies (1,248 cases; 636 PRP, 612 HA) met the eligibility criteria. The pooled estimate demonstrated non-significant differences between PRP and HA for clinical outcomes at 6 months (
p
= 0.069) and at 12 months (
p
= 0.188). However, the pooled estimate for pain did demonstrate significant differences in favour of PRP at 6 months (
p
= 0.001) and 12 months (
p
= 0.001). For the ACP subgroup (249 cases), the pooled estimate for these studies demonstrated significant differences in favour of PRP (
p
< 0.0001) at 6 months.
Conclusion
The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that PRP is superior to HA for symptomatic knee pain at 6 and 12 months. ACP appears to be clearly superior over HA for pain at both 6 and 12 months. There were no advantages of PRP over HA for clinical outcomes at both 6 and 12 months.
Level of evidence
Level 2; systematic review and meta-analysis.
In order to achieve consistent and predictable fracture healing, a broad spectrum of growth factors are required to interact with one another in a highly organized response. Critically important, the ...mechanical environment around the fracture site will significantly influence the way bone heals, or if it heals at all. The role of the various biological factors, the timing, and spatial relationship of their introduction, and how the mechanical environment orchestrates this activity, are all crucial aspects to consider. This review will synthesize decades of work and the acquired knowledge that has been used to develop new treatments and technologies for the regeneration and healing of bone. Moreover, it will discuss the current state of the art in experimental and clinical studies concerning the application of these mechano-biological principles to enhance bone healing, by controlling the mechanical environment under which bone regeneration takes place. This includes everything from the basic principles of fracture healing, to the influence of mechanical forces on bone regeneration, and how this knowledge has influenced current clinical practice. Finally, it will examine the efforts now being made for the integration of this research together with the findings of complementary studies in biology, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. By bringing together these diverse disciplines in a cohesive manner, the potential exists to enhance fracture healing and ultimately improve clinical outcomes.
The role of Bone Tissue Engineering in the field of Regenerative Medicine has been the topic of substantial research over the past two decades. Technological advances have improved orthopaedic ...implants and surgical techniques for bone reconstruction. However, improvements in surgical techniques to reconstruct bone have been limited by the paucity of autologous materials available and donor site morbidity. Recent advances in the development of biomaterials have provided attractive alternatives to bone grafting expanding the surgical options for restoring the form and function of injured bone. Specifically, novel bioactive (second generation) biomaterials have been developed that are characterised by controlled action and reaction to the host tissue environment, whilst exhibiting controlled chemical breakdown and resorption with an ultimate replacement by regenerating tissue. Future generations of biomaterials (third generation) are designed to be not only osteo- conductive but also osteoinductive, i.e. to stimulate regeneration of host tissues by combining tissue engineer- ing and in situ tissue regeneration methods with a focus on novel applications. These techniques will lead to novel possibilities for tissue regeneration and repair. At present, tissue engineered constructs that may find future use as bone grafts for complex skeletal defects, whether from post-traumatic, degenerative, neoplastic or congenital/developmental "origin" require osseous reconstruction to ensure structural and functional integrity. Engineering functional bone using combinations of cells, scaffolds and bioactive factors is a promising strategy and a particular feature for future development in the area of hybrid materials which are able to exhibit suitable biomimetic and mechanical properties. This review will discuss the state of the art in this field and what we can expect from future generations of bone regeneration concepts.
The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate study quality and risk of bias for randomized trials comparing partial meniscectomy with physical therapy in middle-aged patients with ...degenerative meniscus tears.
A systematic review of Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar was performed from 1990 through 2017. The inclusion criteria were at least 1 validated outcome score, and middle-aged patients (40 years and older) with a degenerative meniscus tear. Studies with a sham arm, and acute and concomitant injuries were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. The quality of studies was assessed with the Cochrane GRADE tool and quality assessment tool (Effective Public Health Practice Project). Publication bias was assessed by funnel plot and Egger’s test. The I2 statistics was calculated a measure of statistical heterogeneity.
Six studies were included, and all were assessed as having a high risk of bias. There was no publication bias (P = .23). All studies were downgraded (low, n = 5; very low, n = 1). The Effective Public Health Practice Project assessed 1 study as strong, 2 as moderate, and 3 as weak. The overall results demonstrated moderate to low quality of the included studies. The I2 statistic was 96.2%, demonstrating substantial heterogeneity between studies.
The results of this systematic review strongly suggest that there is currently no compelling evidence to support arthroscopic partial meniscectomy versus physical therapy. The studies evaluated here exhibited a high risk of bias, and the weak to moderate quality of the available studies, the small sample sizes, and the diverse study characteristics do not allow any meaningful conclusions to be drawn. Therefore, the validity of the results and conclusions of prior systematic reviews and meta-analyses must be viewed with extreme caution. The quality of the available published literature is not robust enough at this time to support claims of superiority for either alternative, and both arthroscopic partial meniscectomy or physical therapy could be considered reasonable treatment options for this condition.
Level II, systematic review of Level I and II studies.
Purpose
The common peroneal nerve (CPN) can be injured during fibular-based posterolateral reconstructions due to its close relationship to the neck of the fibula. Therefore, the purpose of this ...study was to observe the course of the CPN and its branches around the fibular head and neck and quantify the position in relation to relevant bony landmarks and observe the relation between tunnel drilling for posterolateral corner reconstruction and both the tunnel entry and exit at the proximal fibula and the CPN and its branches was observed.
Methods
In 101 (mean age = 70.6 ± 16 years) embalmed cadaver knees, the relationship between bony landmarks (tibial tuberosity, styloid process of fibula (APR)) and the CPN and its branches were established and 8 (M1–M8) distances from these landmarks measured; mean, SD and 95% CI were recorded. In 21 of these knees, a fibula tunnel was drilled as in PLC reconstruction and the association of the CPN and its branches to the tunnel entry and exit were judged by two independent observers. Fisher’s exact test of independence was used to determine significant differences between genders. Tunnel intersection was analysed in a binary yes/no fashion and was described in frequencies and percentages.
Results
The mean distance from the APR to where the CPN reaches the fibula neck (M1) was 31.4 ± 8.9 mm (CI:29.8–33.0); from the apex of the styloid process (APR) to where the CPN passes posterior to the broadest point of the fibular head (M3) was 21.7 ± 12.6 mm (CI:19.4–24.0); from the apex of the APR to the most proximal point of the CPN/CPN first branch in the midline of the fibular head (M2) was 37.0 ± 6.7 mm (CI: 35.4–37.7). Out of the 21 randomly selected knees for drilling, the first branch of the CPN was damaged at the tunnel entry point in 7 (33%), and in 5 knees (24%), the CPN was damaged at the tunnel exit. In one knee, at both the tunnel entry and exit, the first branch of the CPN and the CPN were intersected, respectively.
Conclusion
The results of this study strongly suggest that the CPN is at risk when drilling the fibula tunnel performing fibula-based posterolateral corner reconstructions. The total injury rate was 57% with a 33% incidence of injury to the first branch of the nerve at the tunnel entry and 24% to the CPN at the tunnel exit.
Clinical Relevance
Due to the high incidence of injury, percutaneous placement of guide pins and tunnel drilling is not recommended. The nerve should be visualized and protected by either a traditional open approach or minimally invasive techniques. With a minimally invasive approach, the nerve should be identified at the fibula neck and then followed ante- and retrograde.
3D printing technology has revolutionized and gradually transformed manufacturing across a broad spectrum of industries, including healthcare. Nowhere is this more apparent than in orthopaedics with ...many surgeons already incorporating aspects of 3D modelling and virtual procedures into their routine clinical practice. As a more extreme application, patient-specific 3D printed titanium truss cages represent a novel approach for managing the challenge of segmental bone defects. This review illustrates the potential indications of this innovative technique using 3D printed titanium truss cages in conjunction with the Masquelet technique. These implants are custom designed during a virtual surgical planning session with the combined input of an orthopaedic surgeon, an orthopaedic engineering professional and a biomedical design engineer. The ability to 3D model an identical replica of the original intact bone in a virtual procedure is of vital importance when attempting to precisely reconstruct normal anatomy during the actual procedure. Additionally, other important factors must be considered during the planning procedure, such as the three-dimensional configuration of the implant. Meticulous design is necessary to allow for successful implantation through the planned surgical exposure, while being aware of the constraints imposed by local anatomy and prior implants. This review will attempt to synthesize the current state of the art as well as discuss our personal experience using this promising technique. It will address implant design considerations including the mechanical, anatomical and functional aspects unique to each case.
Background:
Higher posterior tibial slope (PTS) is a risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in men and women. The individual contribution of the lateral (LPTS) and medial (MPTS) ...slope has not yet been investigated.
Purpose:
To determine whether either the LPTS or the MPTS is an independent risk factor for ACL injury, and to determine sex-specific differences between patients with ACL-deficient and ACL-intact knees.
Study Design:
Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.
Methods:
We reviewed knee magnetic resonance (MR) images performed on ACL-deficient and ACL-intact knees between January 2018 and June 2020 at a single institution. Inclusion criteria were isolated ACL injury and noncontact mechanism (ACL-deficient group) and nonspecific knee pain and no history of injury (ACL-intact group). Exclusion criteria for both groups were the following: previous knee surgery; meniscal, collateral ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, or multiligamentous injuries; radiological evidence of osteoarthritis; and chondral damage on the tibia. The MR images were used to establish the posterior bony slope at 25%, 50%, and 75% from the medial and/or lateral border of the tibial plateau with respect to the proximal tibial anatomic axis. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine differences in PTS at the 25%, 50%, and 75% distances for the medial and lateral tibial plateau between the groups and between the sexes.
Results:
Overall, 325 images were included (mean age, 36.1 ± 11.1 years; 142 ACL-deficient images 82 men and 60 women; 183 ACL-intact images 112 men and 71 women). MPTS and LPTS were significantly higher at 25%, 50%, and 75% in the ACL-deficient group (range, –2.7° to –5.7°) compared with the ACL-intact group (range, –2.1° to 1.5°; P = .00001). Similarly, MPTS and LPTS were significantly different in men versus women (P = .00001). ANOVA revealed that there were no significant differences in PTS between men and women for all measures (MPTS, LPTS, ACL-deficient, ACL-intact; P = .68).
Conclusion:
The study results demonstrated that higher MPTS and LPTS is a potential risk factor for ACL injury in both men and women. However, despite being highly statistically significant, the differences between groups and sexes were small and may not be clinically relevant.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to quantify the posterior horn meniscal slope and determine its contribution to the reduction in posterior tibial slope.
Methods
Patients aged between 16 and ...60 years and had intact menisci with no evidence of previous injury or surgery were included. Patients with radiological evidence of osteoarthritis Grade II–IV, any acute or chronic meniscus injuries, fractures, and ligamentous injuries were excluded. The posterior bony slope (PTS) and the meniscus slope (MS) of the posterior horns were measured at 25, 50, and 75% from the medial and lateral borders of the tibial plateau.
Results
325 MR images (mean age 37.1 ± 10.9 years) were included. There were 194 males and 131 females, with 162 left and 163 right knees. The PTS in the medial compartment ranged from (−) 2.8° to 3.7° and from (−) 1.3° to 1.9° in the lateral compartment (
p
= 0.0001). The MS in the medial compartment ranged from 27.4° to 28.2°, and from 27.8° to 28.7° in the lateral compartment (
p
> 0.05). The differences between the medial and lateral knee compartment were statistically significant. At the 25% interval the
p
level was 0.037, at 50%
p
= 0.00001, and at 75%
p
= 0.0001. There were no significant between gender differences.
Conclusions
The results of this study demonstrated a significant reduction in posterior tibial bone slope by the posterior horns of both the medial and lateral meniscus, from a mean of (−) 1° to 2° to a more horizontal anterior slope. The posterior bone slope was larger in the medial compartment by 1°, resulting in a smaller slope reduction in the lateral compartment.