Purpose The aim of this study was to review patients that underwent ACL reconstruction with the LARS™ ligament in the First Orthopaedic Division of Pisa University during the period between January 2003 and December 2005. Methods Twenty-six patients were reviewed with an average follow-up of 95.3 months (7.9 years). The review protocol was articulated in three phases: (1) a subjective evaluation using three grading scales: VAS, KOOS and the Cincinnati knee rating scale, (2) a clinical and objective evaluation, and (3) a biomechanical evaluation of the knee stability. Results A global positive result was obtained in 92.3 % of the patients (16 optimal results and eight good results), with a fast functional recovery and a high knee stability. A global poor result was reported in two cases. In our series we did not record cases of infection or knee synovitis. We recorded only one case of mechanical graft failure. The results obtained from our study are encouraging and similar to those in the literature. Conclusions We conclude that the LARS™ ligament can be considered a suitable option for ACL reconstruction in carefully selected cases, especially for older patients needing a fast functional recovery.

Purpose  The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the subjective and functional outcome of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with the synthetic Ligament Advanced Reinforcement System (LARS) ligament. Methods  Twenty-six patients were reviewed at an average follow-up of 11.6 years. Objective clinical evaluation was performed with stability tests. Patient-reported outcomes (Visual Analogue Scale, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and Cincinnati Knee Rating Scale) were used to assess subjective and functional outcomes. Results  Overall satisfactory results were obtained in 22 cases (84.6%). Four patients (15.4%) showed mechanical failure of the graft. No cases of synovitis or infection were reported. Conclusion  LARS ligament can be considered a safe and suitable option for ACL reconstruction in carefully selected cases, especially elderly patients needing a rapid postoperative recovery. Level of Evidence  Level IV, retrospective case series.

The first purpose of this study was to verify the association between Instability Severity Index Score (ISIS) and Recurrent Shoulder Dislocation (RSD) after a first episode treated conservatively. The second aim is to identify the risk factors associated with RSD after a primary acute shoulder anterior dislocation treated conservatively. A total of 111 patients with first traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation treated at a single trauma centre between January 2014 and March 2016 were enrolled. The main predictive variables of risk factors and the ISIS score were calculated. Among the 85 patients included, 26 cases of RSD were observed (30.6%). Considering the whole population, no significant association between ISIS and RSD were reported. Regarding other risk factors, high-risk working activities and rotator cuff injury had a significantly higher RSD risk. Sex, dominant limb, familiar history, hyperlaxity, contact or overhead sports, competitive sport, post-reduction physiokinesitherapy, return to sports activity time, Hill-Sachs lesion, bony Bankart lesion and great tuberosity fracture did not seem to influence the risk of RSD. No correlation between ISIS score and RSD in patients treated conservatively after a first episode of shoulder dislocation were reported. The only risk factors with a significant association to RSD were high-risk working activities and rotator cuff injury.

Background. Knee osteoarthritis is a common disease with increasing incidence and prevalence in western countries. It can cause severe pain and functional limitations, thereby representing a threat for patients’ quality of life and a burden for national health systems. Intra-articular injections with hyaluronic acid (HA) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) have been used for decades in order to reduce the symptoms caused by osteoarthritis. In recent years, a combination of HA and PRP has been introduced in clinical practice with the aim to minimize the clinical presentation of osteoarthritis and potentially delay articular degeneration. Materials and Methods. Sixty cases with grade II-III knee osteoarthritis according to the Kellgren–Lawrence classification were included in a prospective study, focused on the evaluation of clinical and functional outcomes after intra-articular knee injections. Cases were randomly divided into three groups. Twenty cases (Group A) were injected with HA, 20 (Group B) had PRP, and the remaining 20 (Group C) received a combination of HA and PRP. Basal WOMAC score and VAS score were recorded before the treatment and repeated within 3 and 6 months after the treatment. Results. At 6-month follow-up, Group C (PRP + HA) was the one with the lowest WOMAC and VAS mean values. It was also the only group that reported a reduction in the two values both in the first three months and in the following three months. No major complication was recorded. Conclusion. The combination of platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid can be effective in the treatment of grade II-III knee osteoarthritis in a short-to-mid-term scenario. It represents an innovative and valuable alternative to the administration of its two components alone.

Background and Aim of the Study: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are among the most common articular injuries in sports and can be responsible for knee instability and reduced articular performance. Treatment can be either conservative or operative, and ligament reconstruction may be carried out using biological autologous grafts or synthetic materials. Several studies have sought to evaluate and compare functional results in treated patients. However, there is still very limited information available on long-term follow-up and clinical outcomes are generally evaluated only using subjective scores. In this study, we assessed long-term functional and biomechanical results in patients treated with biologic and synthetic ligaments using objective measures. Materials and Methods: Patients were divided according to whether ACL reconstruction was biologic or synthetic. The Tegner activity scale was used before and after surgery. Post-operative subjective scores such as the IKDC Questionnaire and the Tegner-Lysholm score were also recorded. The Y Balance Test was used to assess global stability and mobility of the lower limb. Kinematic Rapid Assessment (KiRA) was used to evidence and estimate ligamentous laxity during the Pivot Shift and Lachman tests. Results: Clinical subjective patient and operator-dependent scores as well as objective biomechanical findings were similar and comparable in patients treated with biologic and synthetic reconstructions after more than 10 years of use. Conclusions: Both synthetic and biological tendon grafts may represent good reconstructive approaches to treat torn ACLs, and remain effective even for a long period of time if implanted in suitable target patients.

Meniscal injuries are a common challenge in orthopaedic surgery. Depending on their location and the patient’s age and functional needs, they can be treated either conservatively or surgically. A surgical approach can consist of arthroscopic meniscectomy or meniscal suture. The latter is the treatment of choice in case of lesions involving the red-red or red-white areas of the meniscus, especially for young high-demanding patients. We report here our experience with the repair of longitudinal meniscal tears using the all-inside technique with the Fast-Fix™ 360 Meniscal Repair System (Smith & Nephew Endoscopy, Andover, MA). We retrospectively evaluated 20 consecutive cases of longitudinal meniscal tears. In 4 cases, concomitant ACL rupture was diagnosed and treated alongside the meniscal repair. All patients underwent periodic clinical evaluations. At the latest check-up, their functional outcomes were rated according to the Tegner-Lysholm Knee and KOOS scoring scales. The mean Tegner-Lysholm Knee score was 84.85 (44-100) and the mean KOOS score was 88.58. No failure or major complications were observed. Furthermore, a negative statistical association was observed between age at surgery and the post-operative Tegner-Lysholm Knee score (coef. = -1.01189 [-1.942073,-0.0817063], p = 0.035). This relation, independent of gender, meniscus involved, eventual associated ACL reconstruction, and chondral injury, suggests that functional outcomes worsen with increasing patient age. Our results suggest that the arthroscopic all-inside suture is both safe and effective in cases of longitudinal meniscal tear, considering the good post-operative functionality and low rates of local complications and surgical failures.