Patellofemoral instability is a severe problem in young and active patients. This pathology is influenced by ligamentous, bony, and neuromuscular parameters. The reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) evolved to a primary procedure, but combined procedures were more frequently performed in the past years. However, additional operative procedures are associated with increased morbidity and no absolute indication can be identified in the literature. This study is intended to clarify whether addressing only ligamentous influence factors (MPFL) in chronic patellofemoral instability is sufficient to produce good clinical outcomes, or whether other risk factors influence the results negatively and should also be treated at some point. In 52 patients with chronic patellofemoral instability patellar height according to Caton-Deschamps, trochlear dysplasia according to Dejour, the leg axis, the femoral antetorsion, tibial tubercle (TT)–trochlear groove, and TT–posterior cruciate ligament distance were evaluated. All patients were treated with isolated MPFL reconstruction. After a minimum follow-up period of 24 months (24–36 months), the clinical outcome results were calculated using the scoring system according to Lysholm and Tegner. Correlation between clinical outcome scores and anatomic risk factors were calculated. The analysis was performed using a standard statistical software package (JMP version 12, SAS Institute, Cary, NC). The average postoperative Lysholm score increased significantly from 57.23 ± 19.9 to 85.9 ± 17.2 points (p < 0.0001) after isolated MPFL reconstruction. Moreover, the Tegner and Lysholm scores significantly improved both in patients without and with different risk factors postoperative. There were no significant differences in the outcome sores between the groups. Even the degree of trochlear dysplasia (types I–III) did not influence the results. Finally, there was no significant correlation found between all collected risk factors and the postoperative outcome scores. Isolated MPFL reconstruction can be an effective procedure in patients with patellofemoral instability and mild to moderate risk factors.

This prospective study examined 62 patients (65 shoulders) with chronic courses of calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder before and after low-energy extracorporeal shockwave application (ESWA) in order to identify variables associated with the outcome of this treatment. Before ESWA, radiographs and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the affected shoulders were obtained in order to document the size and morphology of the calcifications and the contrast media reactions in areas of interest (deposit, synovia, bursae), respectively. In addition, a clinical evaluation was performed. After ESWA (mean follow-up 18.2 months), clinical evaluations of all 65 shoulders revealed an increase in the Constant score from 44% to 78% (p < 0.0001). While size (p = 0.61) and morphology (p = 0.7) of the deposits before ESWA were not associated with the clinical outcome, negative contrast reactions around the deposits (p) = 0.0001), synovia (p = 0.0049) and bursae (p < 0.01) were associated with improved clinical outcomes. After the total study group was divided into two groups, one with Constant scores > or = 75% (n = 43) and the other with scores < 75% (n = 22), the positive predictive value (ppv), specificity (sp) and sensitivity (se) were determined for the negative reaction around the deposit (ppv: 0.94; sp: 0.95; se: 0.38), synovia (ppv: 0.84; sp: 0.82; se: 0.49) and bursae (ppv: 0.86; sp: 0.86; se: 0.44). In 5 cases (7.7%), surgery of the affected shoulder during the follow-up period was performed. No major side-effects were seen in the study group. In conclusion, our results suggest that in patients with chronic calcifying tendinitis, the absence of contrast enhancement, especially around the deposit, is a strong predictive parameter of a positive clinical outcome of ESWA.

Although insufficiency of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a frequent result of an injury, validated tests are associated with unsatisfying validity. Moreover, some of these tests are not easy to perform and patient's muscular resistance often limits their reliability. Therefore, with this study, we want to design an accurate test to diagnose an ACL insufficiency, which is independent of the assessor's skills and overcome any muscular resistance. Fifty patients with an isolated ACL rupture (group A; age 26.4 years ± 14.9 standard deviation [SD]; female, n = 15) and additional 50 patients with an intact ACL but meniscal lesions (group B; age 45.4 years ± 12.9 SD; female, n = 23) were consecutively included in this study. The integrity of the ACL and the menisci were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and verified arthroscopically. Two orthopaedic surgeons performed a pivot shift test, a Lachman's test, and our new “forced active buckling” (FAB)-sign test in all patients. The surgeons were blinded for the pathology of the knee and we randomized the tests for each patient and examiner. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and positive and negative likelihood ratios with confidence intervals were calculated and compared. With a prevalence of 0.5, the FAB-sign test revealed the best overall sensitivity of 0.78 compared with the Lachman's and pivot shift tests of 0.74 and 0.46, respectively. Also, the overall specificity of the FAB-sign test of 0.95 was higher than the Lachman's test of 0.83, however, comparable to the pivot shift test of 0.96. The FAB-sign test demonstrated the best positive and negative predictive values of 0.94 and 0.81. There was no significant difference between the two examiners concerning the accuracy of results in each test (p = 0.83). This study shows that the introduced FAB-sign test can detect an ACL insufficiency more sensitive and more specific compared to the pivot shift and Lachman's tests in the subacute phase. This is a randomized controlled diagnostic study, level 1b.

Objective The etiology of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is still uncertain. Recently, it has been hypothesized that instability of the anterior horn of the meniscus is an important cause for the development of a nontraumatic OCD in adolescents with good results after surgical stabilization. This case series aims to evaluate the treatment results after meniscus stabilization in adults with nontraumatic OCD. Design Ten patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-confirmed OCD of the knee joint, meniscal instability, and closed epiphyseal plates were enrolled in this study. The instable meniscus was stabilized by direct suturing of the anterior horn of the meniscus. MRI examinations were performed preoperative and 6 and 12 months postoperative. The OCD was classified arthroscopically according to Guhl and according to Hughes in the MRI. The overall knee function was evaluated by the Lysholm score before treatment and 12 months postoperative. Results Four women and 6 men with a mean age of 20.6 ± 1.9 years were included in this study. Preoperatively 60% of the patients showed a grade II or III lesion arthroscopically and 70% a grade III or IVa lesion in the MRI examination. After arthroscopic meniscus stabilization the Lysholm score increased in average from 48.1 ± 14.12 before treatment to 97.5 ± 3.1 postoperative. At final follow-up after 12 months, an improvement of the OCD in the MRI could be demonstrated in all patients (100%). In 80% of the patients a complete healing of the OCD could be noted. Conclusion The clinical concept of an instable anterior horn of the meniscus as a cause for the development of a nontraumatic OCD seems to be transferable to adults and arthroscopic stabilization can lead to a sufficient healing of this knee pathology.

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Resection-interposition arthroplasty in symptomatic hallux valgus seems an inadequate procedure in cases with early arthritis or a positive metatarsal index. However, in accordance with these criteria good results are probable, if resection of the first phalanx does not exceed one third of length.