IV.

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• Slice-encoding for metal artefact correction (SEMAC) MRI reduces metal-induced artefact size. • STIR SEMAC detects more bone marrow oedema in painful unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. • STIR SEMAC can help the orthopaedic surgeon with decision making. • PD SEMAC suffers from blurring of images, potentially masking relevant meniscal lesions. • PD SEMAC does not improve cartilage lesion detection in the non-operated compartments.

Background. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a useful surrogate marker for the differentiation of postoperative infection and unspecific inflammatory reaction after surgery. It is known that postoperative course of the PCT serum level varies with type of surgery. No data exists about the postoperative course of serum PCT levels after primary total hip replacement (THR). Purpose. To characterize early postoperative serum PCT levels in uneventful primary THR compared to postoperative levels of different frequently used inflammatory blood parameters. Method. We prospectively investigated 31 patients. Blood samples were taken preoperatively and for 5 days postoperatively. PCT levels were compared with C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and blood leucocyte counts (WBC). Results. In uneventful THR PCT levels showed a uniform low-level course with a peak at the second postoperative day. At the fifth day values returned to almost preoperative levels. On contrary, CRP levels remained high during the entire observational period. Only IL-6 levels showed a peak at postoperative day one with a quick and uniform return to preoperative levels. Conclusion. Similar to observations in cardiothoracic, intestinal, and neural surgeries, postoperative course of PCT after primary THR showed a uniform low-level course with a peak at the second postoperative day but below expected levels in systemic infections.

Background: The importance of meniscal repair is widely accepted because of the association of loss of meniscal tissue with the development of early-onset knee arthritis. Many factors influencing the results of meniscal repair have been reported, but results remain controversial. Purpose: This meta-analysis determines the pooled meniscal repair failure rate of studies with a minimum follow-up of 2 years up to 5 years, with a mean follow-up of 43 months. Moreover, selected failure-influencing factors are analyzed. Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: PubMed and Scopus were searched for studies published between January 2000 and November 2021 reporting on meniscal repair outcome with a minimum follow-up of 24 months. The overall pooled failure rate and pooled failure rates for possible predictors were calculated. Random-effect models were used to pool failure rates, and effect estimates in the form of odds ratios with 95% CIs were established. Results: The initial literature search identified 6519 studies. A total of 51 studies met the inclusion criteria. In total, 3931 menisci were included with an overall failure rate of 14.8%. Subgroup analysis revealed a significantly lower failure rate for meniscal repair with concomitant anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction compared with knees without any reported injury to the ACL (8.5% vs 14%; P = .043). The pooled failure rate for lateral meniscal repair was significantly lower than that for medial meniscal repair (6.1% vs 10.8%; P = .031). Pooled failure rates of all-inside and inside-out repair were not significantly different (11.9% vs 10.6%; P > .05). Conclusion: This meta-analysis on close to 4000 patients demonstrates an overall meniscal repair failure rate of 14.8% at a minimum follow-up from 2 years up to 5 years. Meniscal repair remains a procedure with a high failure rate, especially within the first 2 postoperative years. This review and meta-analysis also identified clinically relevant factors associated with favorable outcomes such as concomitant ACL reconstruction or repair of the lateral meniscus. All-inside meniscal repair with the latest-generation devices yields failure rates of <10%. The failure mechanism and the time of failure is poorly documented; further studies are needed for a better understanding of the retear mechanism.

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Our findings support the hypothesis of a diathesis for a generalized arteriomegaly with a predilection for further aneurysms of the abdominal aorta, iliac arteries, femoral and contralateral popliteal arteries in patients with PAA.

Objectives: To determine the stabilizing role of the anterolateral ligament reconstruction (ALLR) and the modified Lemaire lateral extraarticular tenodesis (LET) performed in combination with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and to determine if one of these two procedures was superior to the other. Methods: Six non paired cadaveric knees were tested with a 6 degrees of freedom robotic system (KUKA Robotics). Internal rotation and anterior tibial translation were measured between 0 and 90° knee flexion after applying 5 N-m Torque and a 134-N anterior load, respectively. A full kinematics assessment was performed in each following conditions: intact knee, after section of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), after section of the ACL and anterolateral ligament (ALL) and Kaplan fibers, after isolated ACLR, after combined ACLR+LET and ACLR+ALLR. ALLR was performed using Gracilis tendon while central strip of the ilio-tibial band was used for the modified Lemaire procedure. These different states were compared using a Tukey paired comparison test. Results: In combined ACL and anterolateral deficient knee, anterior translation and internal rotation remained significantly increased after isolated ACLR compared to intact knee (+2.33 ± 1.44 mm and +1.98 ± 1.06°; p > 0.01). On the other hand, the addition of an ALLR or a modified Lemaire LET to the ACLR allowed to restore anterior translation and internal rotation to values similar to the intact knee. Finally, the two anterolateral procedures had not significantly different values in both tests. This difference was 0.67 ± 1.46 mm for anterior translation (p=0.79) and 0.11 ± 1.11° for internal rotation (p=0.99). Conclusion: In ACL and anterolateral deficient knee, combined ACLR and anterolateral reconstruction allowed restoration of native stability of the knee in anterior translation and internal rotation contrary to isolated ACLR. Additionally, both types of extra-articular reconstruction, ALLR or modified Lemaire procedure, were similar in terms of restoring knee kinematics and neither overconstrained the knee.