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Recent advancements in orthopaedic devices have instilled a renewed interest in repair of the anterior cruciate ligament. Biological augmentation of the repair has also recently been investigated with the hopes of improving repair outcomes and improving biological healing. The advent of needle arthroscopy allows for potentially decreased recovery times and potentially reduced complication rates compared with traditional arthroscopy. The purpose of this article is to present a percutaneous technique to repair the anterior cruciate ligament with suture tape augmentation while also augmenting with the biological byproducts from the native effusion using needle arthroscopy.

Transverse patellar fractures are a relatively common injury and typically require surgical fixation. An adequate restoration of patella integrity is essential for proper functioning of the extensor mechanism of the knee and for the prevention of patellofemoral osteoarthritis. Currently, the treatment of transverse fractures of the patellar bone involves several surgical techniques, most of which involve the use of metallic implants. Despite good clinical results following surgery, numerous complications exist, including primarily symptomatic hardware following surgical treatment. The purpose of this article is to describe the technique for treatment of a transverse patellar fracture using a high-resistance tape (FiberTape; Arthrex) and a tensioner (Arthrex) instead of traditional metallic implants.

Several extra-articular surgical techniques in addition to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction have been proposed to better restore rotational instability of the knee. One option is surgical repair of the anterolateral ligament in acute cases to achieve an anatomic reconstruction. An additional augmentation to the repair could allow a load-sharing—and thus protective—effect for the repair during the healing process. The purpose of this Technical Note is to describe a primary repair of the anterolateral ligament with suture tape augmentation (Internal Brace; Arthrex, Naples, FL) in a patient with an acute anterior cruciate ligament tear.

A technique for anatomic reconstruction of the anterolateral complex addressing anterolateral rotatory instability both in primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and in revision cases is presented. The extra-articular reconstruction is performed with a pedicle strip of iliotibial tract, fixed on the anatomic origin and insertion points of the anterolateral ligament of the knee in a double-bundle V-shaped fashion.

Unlabelled: Small variations within normal range of radiographic parameters, except ulnar variance and volar tilt, do not influence the final functional outcome in distal radius fractures., Introduction: There are many reports in the literature on the relationship between radiographic variables and their influence on the final outcome of distal radius fractures. Most authors report that a good functional result depends on anatomical restoration of the articular surface and extra-articular alignment. The aim of this study was to verify if it is really necessary to restore anatomic radiographic parameters to obtain satisfactory functional outcome in distal radius fractures treated with volar plate., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 51 patients treated with volar locked plate for articular unstable distal radius fractures from December 2006 to March 2009. Each fracture was evaluated according to the AO classification. The average follow-up was 40.5 months. Radiological measurements were performed considering radial height, radial inclination, volar tilt and ulnar variance, both preoperatively and postoperatively, to estimate the correction value. We examined range of motion (ROM), grip strength with a Jamar(®) dynamometer and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score. The τ Student test was performed for statistical analysis., Results: The persistence of articular step-off was assessed in 35.3% of patients. Normal radial inclination (21-25°) was restored in 74.5% of patients (range 15-27.5°). Normal radial height (10-13 mm) was restored in 66.6% of patients (range 6.8-17.3mm). Normal volar tilt (7-15°) was achieved in 90.2% of patients (range 3-17°). Normal ulnar variance (0.7-1.5mm) was restored in 86.3% of patients (range 0.7-4.1mm). There was a statistically significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative radiographic values (p<0.01). The majority of patients showed complete recovery of ROM, with no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) in extension, flexion, supination and pronation compared with the contralateral hand. Eight patients who had postoperative volar tilt and/or ulnar variance out of range had a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) in ROM compared with the non-operated side. At final follow-up, all patients had a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) in grip strength compared with the contralateral side, even with good strength values. The mean DASH score was 12.2 (range 0-61)., Discussion and Conclusion: Our experience suggests that ulnar variance and volar tilt are the most important radiographic parameters to be restored to obtain good functional outcome in distal radius fracture. Small variations of other radiographic parameters seem to not affect the final outcome at minimum 3 years' follow-up., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)