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OBJECTIVE: The medial femoral condyle of the knee exhibits some of the highest incidences of chondral degeneration. However, a dearth of healthy human tissues has rendered it difficult to ascertain whether cartilage in this compartment possesses properties that predispose it to injuries. Assessment of young, healthy tissue would be most representative of the tissues intrinsic properties. DESIGN: This work examined the topographical differences in tribological, tensile, and compressive properties of young (n = 5, 26.2 ± 5.6 years old), healthy, human medial femoral condyles, obtained from viable allograft specimens. Corresponding to clinical incidences of pathology, it was hypothesized that the lowest mechanical properties would be found in the posterior region of the medial condyle, and that tissue composition would correspond to the established structure-function relationships of cartilage. RESULTS: Youngs modulus, ultimate tensile strength, aggregate modulus, and shear modulus in the posterior region were 1.0-, 2.8-, 1.1-, and 1.0-fold less than the values in the anterior region, respectively. Surprisingly, although glycosaminoglycan content is thought to correlate with compressive properties, in this study, the aggregate and shear moduli correlated more robustly to the amount of pyridinoline crosslinks per collagen. Also, the coefficient of friction was anisotropic and ranged 0.22-0.26 throughout the condyle. CONCLUSION: This work showed that the posteromedial condyle displays lower tensile and compressive properties, which correlate to collagen crosslinks and may play a role in this regions predisposition to injuries. Furthermore, new structure-function relationships may need to be developed to account for the role of collagen crosslinks in compressive properties.

Introduction: The etiology of osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD), a chondropathy associated with detachment of the subchondral bone and the overlaying cartilage, is not yet fully understood. While repetitive physical exercise-related stress is usually assumed to be the main risk factor for the occurrence of OCD, genetic predisposition could have an underestimated influence on the development of the disease. Case report: We report a case of monozygotic twins with almost identical stages of bilateral osteochondrosis dissecans of the knee joint. In both patients, initially, a unilateral lesion occurred; despite restricted physical exercise, in the further course of the disease a lesion also developed on the contralateral side. While the lesion found most recently demonstrated an ongoing healing process at a 6-month follow-up, the other three lesions showed a natural course of healing under conservative treatment with significant clinical as well as radiological improvements after one year and complete consolidation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after 2 years. Conclusion: There could be a genetic component to the development of OCD, although this has not yet been proven. Based on a two-year MRI follow-up, we were able to show the self-limiting characteristics of juvenile osteochondrosis dissecans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that posterior cruciate ligament injuries are associated with the anatomical morphology of the knee joint. OBJECTIVE: To explore anatomical morphological risk factors for posterior cruciate ligament injury. METHODS: The imaging data of 142 patients who visited Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University for knee joint problems from January 2015 to August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into posterior cruciate ligament injury group (n=71, including 49 males and 22 females) and posterior cruciate ligament intact group (n=71, including 49 males and 22 females). Intercondylar notch width, intercondylar notch height, bicondyle width, notch width index, angle of intercondylar notch, Blumensaat’s line inlication angle, medial tibial spine height, lateral tibial spine height, tibial spine width, tibiofemoral consistency index, tibial plateau anterior-posterior diameter, medial tibial depth and patellar tendon-tibial shaft angle were measured on MRI images. Posterior tibial slope was measured on X-ray images. The above indicators were included in the logistic regression analysis for investigation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Univariate logistic regression analysis in men showed that tibial spine width, tibiofemoral consistency index, medial tibial depth, and posterior tibial slope were associated with posterior cruciate ligament injury (P < 0.05). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that tibiofemoral consistency index and medial tibial depth were associated with posterior cruciate ligament damage (P < 0.05). (2) Univariate logistic regression analysis in women showed that medial tibial spine height, lateral tibial spine height, tibial spine width, and posterior tibial slope were associated with posterior cruciate ligament injury (P < 0.05). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that posterior tibial slope was associated with posterior cruciate ligament damage (P < 0.05). (3) The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that tibiofemoral consistency index, medial tibial depth and posterior tibial slope had a certain predictive value on posterior cruciate ligament damage. (4) These findings suggest that anatomical morphological risk factors for posterior cruciate ligament injury differ between men and women, and tibial spine width and posterior tibial slope are common risk factors. In the male population, abnormal tibial spine width, tibiofemoral consistency index, medial tibial depth, and posterior tibial slope are easy to induce posterior cruciate ligament injury. In the female population, abnormal medial tibial spine height, lateral tibial spine height, tibial spine width, and posterior tibial slope are easy to induce posterior cruciate ligament injury. Clinicians can use the above risk factors to identify abnormal knee morphology, assess people at risk of posterior cruciate ligament injury, and provide preventive advice and guidance for treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To analyse the reliability of ultrasound‐guided measurement of the cartilage thickness at the medial femoral condyle in athletically active children and adolescents before and after mechanical load in relation to age, sex and type of sport. Methods: Three successive measurements were performed in 157 participants (median/min–max age: 13.1/6.0–18.0 years, 106 males) before and after mechanical load by squats at the same site of the medial femoral condyle by defined transducer positioning. Test–retest reliability was examined using Cronbach's α $\alpha $ calculation. Differences in cartilage thickness were analysed with respect to age, sex and type of practiced sports, respectively. Results: Excellent reliability was achieved both before and after mechanical load by 30 squats with a median cartilage thickness of 1.9 mm (range: 0.5–4.8 mm) before and 1.9 mm (0.4–4.6 mm) after mechanical load. Male cartilages were thicker (p < 0.01) before (median: 2.0 mm) and after (2.0 mm) load when compared to female cartilage (before: 1.6 mm; after: 1.7 mm). Median cartilage thickness was about three times higher in karate athletes (before: 2.3 mm; after: 2.4 mm) than in sports shooters (0.7; 0.7 mm). Cartilage thickness in track and field athletes, handball players and soccer players were found to lay in‐between. Sport type related thickness changes after mechanical load were not significant. Conclusion: Medial femoral condyle cartilage thickness in childhood correlates with age, sex and practiced type of sports. Ultrasound is a reliable and simple, pain‐free approach to evaluate the cartilage thickness in children and adolescents. Level of Evidence: Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction The etiology of osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD), a chondropathy associated with detachment of the subchondral bone and the overlaying cartilage, is not yet fully understood. While repetitive physical exercise-related stress is usually assumed to be the main risk factor for the occurrence of OCD, genetic predisposition could have an underestimated influence on the development of the disease. Case report We report a case of monozygotic twins with almost identical stages of bilateral osteochondrosis dissecans of the knee joint. In both patients, initially, a unilateral lesion occurred; despite restricted physical exercise, in the further course of the disease a lesion also developed on the contralateral side. While the lesion found most recently demonstrated an ongoing healing process at a 6-month follow-up, the other three lesions showed a natural course of healing under conservative treatment with significant clinical as well as radiological improvements after one year and complete consolidation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after 2 years. Conclusion There could be a genetic component to the development of OCD, although this has not yet been proven. Based on a two-year MRI follow-up, we were able to show the self-limiting characteristics of juvenile osteochondrosis dissecans.

Introduction: Knees affected by haemophilic arthropathy exhibit distinct differences in both bone morphology and soft tissue behaviour. This study aims to analyse the morphological characteristics of the distal femur and patellofemoral joint in patients with haemophilia in comparison to normal healthy population. Material and Methods: Study was conducted as pair‐matched case‐control study with 43 individuals in both the haemophilia group and the control group. Patellar luxation, patellar tilt (PT), length of the patella in both axis (pAP, pML), depth and angle of trochlear sulcus (SD, SA), lateral trochlear inclination (LTI), medial and lateral femoral facet length (mFL, LFL), intercondylar depth (ID), transepicondylar axis (TEA) and lateral condyle length (LCL) were assessed on knee MRI. Correlation between Pettersson score and measured variables were also analysed. Results: PT was medial sided in 10 (23.2%) cases in haemophilic group. Mean values of pAP, pML, PT were significantly lower in haemophilia group (p <.001, p:.007, p =.001 respectively). There were no significant changes in SA (p =.628), SD (p =.340), LTI (p =.685), LFL (p =.241) and MFC‐LFC (p =.770) whilst mFL was significantly longer in haemophilia group (p =.009). ID (p <.001), TEA (p =.007) and LCL (p =.001) were all shorter in haemophilia group. Pettersson score was inversely correlated with pAP, pML, ID, TEA, LCL, pML/SA and ID/LCL. Conclusion: Morphological changes in haemophilic arthropathy involve a smaller and medially‐tilted patella, narrowed lateral condyle and transepicondylar axis, combined with reduced intercondylar depth. These alterations must keep in mind especially in pre‐ and intraoperative assessments for arthroplasty procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One common method to determine tibiofemoral kinematics following total knee replacement (TKR) is to capture single-plane fluoroscopic images of a patient activity and determine anterior-posterior (AP) positions of the femoral condyles and internal-external (IE) tibial rotation. Although JointTrack is widely used to analyze such images, precision (i.e. repeatability) in determining AP positions and IE tibial rotations using the two publicly available programs has never been quantified. The objectives were to determine the precision and reproducibility of results using both programs. Fluoroscopic images of 16 patients who performed a weight-bearing deep knee bend following TKR were analyzed. JointTrack Manual (JTM) and JointTrack Machine Learning (JTML) were used to perform 3D model-to-2D image registration after which AP positions of the femoral condyles and IE tibial rotations were determined. Precision in AP positions and IE rotations was quantified. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for both repeatability (i.e. intraobserver) and reproducibility (i.e. interobserver) also were determined. Precision using JTM was worse than JTML for AP positions of the medial and lateral femoral condyles (1.0 mm and 0.9 mm vs 0.3 mm and 0.4 mm, respectively; p < 0.001 for both). For IE tibial rotation, precision also was worse using JTM versus JTML (1.1º vs 0.9°, p = 0.010). ICC values for JTML indicated good to excellent agreement (range: 0.82–0.98) whereas ICC values for JTM indicated only moderate to good agreement (range: 0.58–0.88). JTML has better precision and reproducibility than JTM and also is more efficient to use. Therefore, use of JTML over JTM is strongly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries are common ligament injuries of the knee, and previous studies often focused on the associations between the morphology of the knee and PCL injuries. Studies on the correlation between PCL injuries and patellofemoral alignment are limited. Methods This retrospective study included 92 patients with PCL injured and 92 patients with PCL intact. Measurement parameters were compared between the two groups, including patellar tilt angle, congruence angle, patellar height, hip-knee-ankle angle, lateral trochlear inclination, femoral condyle ratio, bicondylar width, intercondylar notch width and index, notch angle, trochlear facet asymmetry, and trochlear sulcus depth and angle. Independent risk factors associated with PCL injuries were identified by logistic regression analyses. Results In the PCL injured group, the patellar tilt angle was significantly larger (13.19 ± 5.90° vs. 10.02 ± 4.95°, P = 0.04); the intercondylar notch angle was significantly lower (60.97 ± 7.83° vs. 67.01 ± 6.00°, P = 0.004); the medial and lateral femoral condyle ratio were significantly larger (0.63 ± 0.64 vs. 0.60 ± 0.56, P = 0.031; 0.65 ± 0.60 vs. 0.58 ± 0.53, P = 0.005) than in the PCL intact group. There were 11 patients with patellar dislocation in the PCL injured group, accounting for 12%. In these patients, the patellar height was higher (1.39 ± 0.17 vs. 1.09 ± 0.25, P = 0.009); the trochlear sulcus angle was larger (157.70 ± 8.7° vs. 141.80 ± 8.78°, P

Purpose: To describe the characteristics of femoral torsion in patients with different segmental torsion types and to evaluate the correlations between segmental torsion and the morphology of the femoral condyles and trochlea in patients with patellar dislocation and increased femoral torsion. Methods: Between January 2021 and March 2023, 69 patients were included and classified into two groups according to the femoral segment contributing the most to total torsion: 32 patients in Group A (femoral neck and shaft torsion) and 37 patients in Group B (distal torsion). Trochlear dysplasia was evaluated using Dejour's classification and sulcus angle. The morphology of the femoral condyles was evaluated using the lengths and ratios of the medial and lateral condyles. Correlations between femoral torsion and morphology were evaluated. Results: Total torsion was significantly correlated with femoral neck and shaft torsion (r = 0.882, P < 0.001) and distal torsion (r = 0.262, P = 0.030). Femoral neck and shaft torsion was significantly increased with increasing total torsion. The trochlear sulcus was flatter and more dysplastic, and the anterior condyles were shorter in Group B. Distal torsion was significantly correlated with the lengths of the medial and lateral anterior condyles (r = − 0.567, P < 0.001; r = -0.701, P < 0.001), sulcus angle (r = 0.611, P < 0.001) and Dejour trochlea type (r = 0.512, P = 0.001), while femoral neck and shaft torsion showed no correlations. Conclusion: Femoral torsion is a complex of femoral neck and shaft torsion and distal torsion, especially femoral neck and shaft torsion. Distal torsion was significantly correlated with a flatter trochlear sulcus, higher-grade trochlear dysplasia, and shorter anterior condyles. The new findings highlighted the importance of the segmental evaluation of femoral torsion, which would facilitate understanding of the anatomical characteristics of femoral torsion in patients with patellar dislocation and increased femoral torsion and may lead to improvement in the surgical options regarding femoral torsion. Level of evidence: Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries are common ligament injuries of the knee, and previous studies often focused on the associations between the morphology of the knee and PCL injuries. Studies on the correlation between PCL injuries and patellofemoral alignment are limited. Methods: This retrospective study included 92 patients with PCL injured and 92 patients with PCL intact. Measurement parameters were compared between the two groups, including patellar tilt angle, congruence angle, patellar height, hip-knee-ankle angle, lateral trochlear inclination, femoral condyle ratio, bicondylar width, intercondylar notch width and index, notch angle, trochlear facet asymmetry, and trochlear sulcus depth and angle. Independent risk factors associated with PCL injuries were identified by logistic regression analyses. Results: In the PCL injured group, the patellar tilt angle was significantly larger (13.19 ± 5.90° vs. 10.02 ± 4.95°, P = 0.04); the intercondylar notch angle was significantly lower (60.97 ± 7.83° vs. 67.01 ± 6.00°, P = 0.004); the medial and lateral femoral condyle ratio were significantly larger (0.63 ± 0.64 vs. 0.60 ± 0.56, P = 0.031; 0.65 ± 0.60 vs. 0.58 ± 0.53, P = 0.005) than in the PCL intact group. There were 11 patients with patellar dislocation in the PCL injured group, accounting for 12%. In these patients, the patellar height was higher (1.39 ± 0.17 vs. 1.09 ± 0.25, P = 0.009); the trochlear sulcus angle was larger (157.70 ± 8.7° vs. 141.80 ± 8.78°, P < 0.001); and the trochlear sulcus depth was shallower (3.10 ± 1.20mm vs. 5.11 ± 1.48mm, P = 0.003) than those in the patients without patellar dislocation. Multivariate analyses showed that patellar tilt angle (each increase 1 degree, OR = 1.14) and intercondylar notch angle (each increase 1 degree, OR = 0.90) were independent risk factors for PCL injuries. Conclusion: The patients with PCL injuries had larger patellar tilt angles, lower intercondylar notch angles, and longer posterior femoral condyles than patients with PCL intact. The larger patellar tilt angle and lower intercondylar notch angle might be risk factors for PCL injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background To evaluate the feasibility and clinical effect of the suture anchor combined with external fixation in the treatment of the lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture. Methods In this study, a retrospective study was conducted to analyze the feasibility of treating fourteen patients (eight men and six women) with Hoffa fractures admitted to our Hospital from January 2016 to October 2021 with combined external fixation using incisional reduction anchor nailing. The age of the patients ranged from 23 to 45 years, with an average of 37.5 years. According to Letenneur’s classification, there were eight cases of type I, three cases of type II, and three cases of type III. The functional assessment of Letenneur was used to measure the clinical outcome. Results All patients had one-stage wound healing, and all patients were followed up for 12 to 18 months after surgery, and all fractures healed well, with normal knee flexion and extension activities, and no complications such as fracture displacement, anchor nail loosening, or fracture malunion were observed. The clinical outcome was evaluated according to the functional evaluation criteria of Letenneur et al. The clinical outcome of fourteen patients: excellent in thirteen cases and good in one case, with an overall excellent rate of 100%. Conclusions Our study results indicate that the use of anchor nailing combined with external fixation for Hoffa fractures of the femoral condyle has some clinical reference significance because it is less invasive, has fewer complications, does not require secondary removal, and is worthy of clinical application. Trial registration: Retrospectively registered.

Objective The sagittal shapes of the femoral condyles were thought to consist of circles. However, the line connecting the centers of circles was not consistent with the surgical epicondylar axis (SEA) which was commonly used in surgery. Recently, ellipses have been proposed as an alternative method to represent the sagittal femoral condylar shape. Does the condylar ellipse line (CEL) coincide with the SEA in 3D MRI reconstruction analysis? Methods From May to August 2021, a total of 80 healthy subjects were scanned by MRI on the right knee in this retrospective study. The ellipses on the most distal slices of the medial and lateral condyles were determined. A line connecting the centers of the medial and lateral ellipses was the CEL. A line connecting the deepest point of the medial sulcus and the most prominent point of the lateral epicondyle was the SEA. Angular measurement of the SEA and the CEL relative to the posterior condylar line (PCL) and the distal condylar line (DCL) was performed on an axial and coronal view of the 3D model, respectively. Measurements were compared between males and females by using the independent‐samples t‐test. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the relationship between SEA‐PCL and CEL‐PCL, SEA‐DCL, and CEL‐DCL. Results On the axial view, the mean SEA‐CEL was 0.35° ± 0.96°. SEA‐PCL (2.91° ± 1.40°) had a high correlation with CEL‐PCL (3.27° ± 1.11°) (r = 0.731, p

Introduction: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has increasingly been used in sports medicine to promote tissue healing. No previous study has demonstrated the effect of PRP alone for treatment of osteochondral defects of the knee. Case presentation: We describe the case of a 37-year-old male who was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans of the medial femoral condyle in 2000. At that time, he underwent arthroscopic repair. In 2018, he presented for increased medial knee pain and catching. He elected to proceed with an initial PRP injection in 2018 and returned for 3 more injections through 2021. After the 4 injections, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated interval healing of the osteochondral defect with markedly smaller dimensions than the original 2018 MRI [0.7 cm × 0.5 cm]. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first case of MRI-proven healing of an osteochondral defect with PRP (without accompanying cartilage restoration surgery). Ongoing treatment with an anabolic therapy like PRP may facilitate symptom improvement and structural healing.

Open fractures often require complex treatments, especially those with joint involvement or critical bone defects. Managing both combined injuries present even greater challenges and is not without complications.We present the case of a young patient with an open fracture of the femoral condyle and loss of bone stock in the articular surface. In this case, a combined osteosynthesis approach was employed, utilizing cannulated screws and a femoral condyle arthroplasty with bone cement as a salvage measure, allowing a favorable clinical and functional outcome at the 3-year follow-up. This technique serves as a simple, reproducible, and cost-effective alternative for transient or potentially definitive management in such cases.

Purpose: To evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) and radiographic and clinical outcomes of patients with varus knee osteoarthritis treated with open wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO). We hypothesised that medial condyle BMD would decrease and lateral condyle BMD would increase after OWHTO. Methods: Overall, 51 patients (mean age: 65.3 years; female: 40, male: 11) treated with OWHTO were prospectively enrolled. Several angles using whole single-leg radiographs were measured preoperatively and up to 24 months postoperatively. Five square tibial regions of interest (ROI) located below the proximal tibia as T1–T5 from medial to lateral regions and two square femoral ROI as F1 and F2 from medial and lateral regions, respectively, were defined. M/L BMD ratio was used to define the medial-to-lateral condyle BMD ratio. Femoral condyle BMD (F1 and F2) around the knee, as well as lumbar spine, and ipsilateral and contralateral femoral neck BMD, were measured before OWHTO and 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after OWHTO using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Furthermore, tibial condyle BMD (T1–T5) around the knee was measured before and 24 months after OWHTO. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Knee Society knee and function scores, the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and the Lysholm score preoperatively and 24 months postoperatively. A power analysis was performed. Results: F1 BMD decreased by 19.2% from before to 3 months postoperatively. F2 BMD did not change up to 24 months after OWHTO. Femoral M/L BMD ratio decreased by 22.2% 3 months after OWHTO. T1 BMD and tibial M/L BMD ratio decreased, whilst T3, T4 and T5 BMD increased 24 months after OWHTO. Mean hip–knee–ankle angle (HKA) and weight-bearing line ratio were corrected from − 6.8° to 4.5° and 14.7 to 60.7%, respectively, postoperatively. Lumbar spine BMD did not change up to 12 months postoperatively. Ipsilateral femoral neck BMD decreased up to 6 months after OWHTO. Conclusion: Medial femoral condyle BMD decreased rapidly within 3 months and continued to decrease up to 12 months, but lateral femoral condyle BMD did not change after OWHTO. BMD measurements around the knee condyle enabled the evaluation of the changes in stress distribution before and after OWHTO with accelerated rehabilitation. Level of evidence: II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: A Hoffa fracture is an unstable intra-articular break that is generally treated with surgery. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical outcomes of using a suture anchor combined with auxiliary fixation for the treatment of a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture. METHODS: The study retrospectively reviewed 8 patients (5 males and 3 females) with a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture who had been treated by combining a suture anchor with auxiliary fixation between January 2016 and April 2020. The mean age of patients was 37.5 years (ranging from 23 to 45). According to Letenneur's classification, there were 4 cases of type I, 2 cases of type II, and 2 cases of type III fractures. The clinical outcomes were assessed using Letenneur's functional assessment. RESULTS: The follow-up duration ranged between 14–24 months. All patients achieved primary healing of the incision and fracture union, as well as normal flexion and extension of the knee joint, with 7 cases showing excellent outcomes and 1 case showing a good outcome. No postoperative complications, such as fracture displacement, anchor loosening, or fracture malunion, occurred in this series. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that a suture anchor, combined with external fixation, was an effective treatment for a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture. Accordingly, this procedure is worthy of wider clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most common knee injuries and has substantial impact on knee function. Beside primary ruptures, an increasing number of re-(re-)ruptures occur, representing a therapeutical challenge for the treating surgeon. Several risk factors for re-ruptures have been previously identified, including an increased tibial slope. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the effect of femoral condyle configuration on ACL-ruptures and re-ruptures. METHODS: In-vivo magnetic resonance imaging scans of three different groups of patients were compared. Group 1 included patients with an intact ACL on both sides, group 2 included patients with primary, unilateral ACL-rupture, while group 3 included patients with an ACL-re-rupture or re-(re-)rupture. Fourteen different variables were obtained and analyzed regarding their impact on ACL-re-(re-)rupture. RESULTS: Overall, 334 knees were investigated. Our data allowed us to define parameters to identify anatomical configurations of bones associated with an increased risk of ACL-re-rupture. Our results show, that patients with ACL-re-rupture show increased radii of the extension facet of the lateral femoral condyle (p < 0.001) as well as of the extension facet of the medial femoral condyle (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We conclude that a spherical femoral condyle form does influence the clinical outcome after ACL-reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronal-plane intra-articular fractures of the femoral condyle (Hoffa fractures) are rare, and difficult to diagnose and treat. They mostly result as a consequence of high-energy trauma and are combined with concomitant fractures (patellar, tibia shaft) and/or soft-tissue damage. A plain X-ray can miss the diagnosis initially and therefore computerized tomography scan is recommended, which can also help in the preoperative planning. The vast majority of these fractures are unicondylar (mostly lateral condyle fractured). The approach for their treatment can be anterior or posterior. In cases of fracture comminution, much more mutilant approaches with osteotomy have been described. A combined two-stage approach can be used to obtain anatomical reduction and fixation of all the fragments. We present a case of a 46-year-old male patient with comminuted lateral Hoffa fracture treated with a combined approach (extended posterior approach to the proximal tibia and lateral parapatellar) in a time interval of one month. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hoffa fractures are intra-articular fractures of the distal femur in the coronal plane, with an incidence of approximately 0,65 % of all femoral fractures. Isolated fractures of the medial condyle are even less frequently reported.The most frequent mechanism associated is an axial load exerted on a flexed knee. Diagnosis of this fracture might be challenging as standard radiographic studies may appear normal. Due to their intra-articular location, anatomical reduction of this fractures must be achieved and articular congruence restored for the patient to achieve optimal functional results. Case report: The authors present a case of a 38-year-old male patient who sustained a high energy trauma to his right knee. A comminutive Hoffa fracture of the medial femoral condyle was identified. No neurovascular compromise was identified. Arthroscopic reduction of the main fragments was performed followed by fixation with three screws. A posteromedial portal was needed to achieve anatomic reduction. Weight-bearing was allowed at 8 weeks and physical therapy initiated. Six months after the patient had full return to his previous activity level. Conclusion: Anatomical reduction and stable osteosynthesis are required for the management of Hoffa fractures. Arthroscopic management of these lesions is as a successful method, providing good outcomes with few complications associated.

Objective: The sagittal shapes of the femoral condyles were thought to consist of circles. However, the line connecting the centers of circles was not consistent with the surgical epicondylar axis (SEA) which was commonly used in surgery. Recently, ellipses have been proposed as an alternative method to represent the sagittal femoral condylar shape. Does the condylar ellipse line (CEL) coincide with the SEA in 3D MRI reconstruction analysis? Methods: From May to August 2021, a total of 80 healthy subjects were scanned by MRI on the right knee in this retrospective study. The ellipses on the most distal slices of the medial and lateral condyles were determined. A line connecting the centers of the medial and lateral ellipses was the CEL. A line connecting the deepest point of the medial sulcus and the most prominent point of the lateral epicondyle was the SEA. Angular measurement of the SEA and the CEL relative to the posterior condylar line (PCL) and the distal condylar line (DCL) was performed on an axial and coronal view of the 3D model, respectively. Measurements were compared between males and females by using the independent‐samples t‐test. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the relationship between SEA‐PCL and CEL‐PCL, SEA‐DCL, and CEL‐DCL. Results: On the axial view, the mean SEA‐CEL was 0.35° ± 0.96°. SEA‐PCL (2.91° ± 1.40°) had a high correlation with CEL‐PCL (3.27° ± 1.11°) (r = 0.731, p < 0.001). On the coronal view, the mean coronal SEA‐CEL was 1.35° ± 1.13°. SEA‐DCL (1.35° ± 1.13°) had a low correlation with CEL‐DCL (0.18° ± 0.84°) (r = 0.319, p = 0.007). On the sagittal view, the outlet points of the CEL on the medial and lateral epicondyles were anatomically located in the anteroinferior direction to the SEA. Conclusions: CEL traversed the medial and lateral epicondyles, which has a mean deviation of 0.35° with SEA on axial view and a mean deviation of 0.18° with DCL on coronal view. This study suggested that the ellipse approach is an improved scheme for representing the femoral condylar shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focal cartilage defects in the knee are a common and debilitating pathology. High arthroplasty revision rates in the <55-year-old population continue to make arthroplasty a limited primary surgical option. Advancements in surgical techniques and more robust long-term data on cartilage procedures have increased greatly in the last few years. Results vary and are dependent on matching suitable procedures to lesion and patient type. In this difficult-to-manage group, offering the right procedure to the right patient at the first instance has an important impact on outcomes. In this paper we review the evidence and new guidelines in the management of focal cartilage lesions of the knee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surgical treatment of chondral and osteochondral defects within the knee is becoming increasingly more complex and challenging, with an ever-increasing selection of options available to the orthopaedic surgeon. Technological and innovative advancements often move at a greater pace than the associated clinical outcomes and research-based evidence. The treatment for these conditions is continually evolving and developing before it is possible to critically appraise the data on their success. These surgical treatments are either biological, where an attempt is made to regenerate the lost tissue, or non-biological, such as focal resurfacing, partial or total arthroplasty. Each of these treatment modalities has their own merits and drawbacks. Focal resurfacings have been around for a few decades, and their aim is to be the best of both options. While still not part of mainstream practice within the UK, their evidence base is growing, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has issued a review on their use. This review aims to assess the options available for treating cartilage defects in the knee, with a focus on these novel focal resurfacing implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To quantitatively measure the morphological parameters of femoral condyle based on MRI images so as to determine the effect of anterior-posterior femoral condyle geometry on patellar instability (PI) in patients with high-grade femoral trochlear dysplasia. Methods A total of 82 series of knee joint MRI images from 74 patients with high-grade femoral trochlear dysplasia who underwent MRI scanning in our hospital from January 2014 to January 2021 were retrospectively selected. According to the results of clinical diagnosis and radiological imaging, they were further divided into patellar dislocation group (n=45) and non-patellar dislocation group (n=37). Subsequently, the morphological parameters related to the femoral condyle of knee joint were measured quantitatively in the MRI images, including posterior condylar angle (PCA), width of medial-lateral epicondyle (MLW), medial posterior condyle width (MPCW), lateral posterior condyle width (LPCW), medial anterior condyle length (MACL), lateral anterior condyle length (LACL), medial posterior condyle length (MPCL), and lateral posterior condyle length (LPCL). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to assess the intra- and inter-observer reliability of the quantitative MRI measurements. Results The MPCW and LACL values were significantly lower in the patellar dislocation group than the non-patellar dislocation group (P < 0.05), whereas there were no statistical differences in PCA, MLW, LPCW, MACL, MPCL and LPCL values between the 2 groups. The measurement results of all parameters had good consistency within and among the observers (ICC≥0.80). Conclusion The patients of patellar dislocation have shorter lateral anterior femoral condyle and narrower medial posterior femoral condyle, which may be risk factors for dislocation in those with high-grade trochlear dysplasia.

Abstract Background Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an established surgical treatment for advanced knee osteoarthritis by which patients can expect improvement of knee pain and function. Although many surgeons have investigated limb alignment after TKA, changes in coronal positional relation between the femur and tibia are not known well. Methods Radiographs of 105 knees of young Japanese patients between 20 and 49 years-old (60 men and 45 women) without osteoarthritic changes who received arthroscopic surgeries at our hospital were used in this study. Using 2D-templates of the medial pivot design (the FINE total knee), we simulated TKA on a SYNAPSE-PACS software. First, the femoral component was placed in normal knee alignment and then was merged to the medial concave of the insert where the tibial component was placed in neutral alignment. The length of the mediolateral shift of the femoral component was measured as an estimate of lateral shift of the femoral condyle, of which association with radiographic parameters including the femorotibial angle (FTA), lateral distal femoral angle (LDFA), and medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) was analyzed. Subjects were classified into three groups according to the femoral component size that was chosen in simulation of TKA, and the lateral shift of the femoral condyle was compared between groups. Results The estimated mean lateral shift of the femoral condyle was 5.99 ± 1.98 mm and was greater in males than females (p

Purpose: Ballistic fractures of the femoral condyles are rare injuries with limited literature to help guide treatment. The purpose of this study is to report on the presentation, management, and outcomes for patients with isolated ballistic condylar fractures. Methods: Eighteen patients between ages 16 and 65 with low-energy ballistic injuries isolated to the femoral condyles (OTA 33B) were included, 15 with CT imaging. Clinical records and imaging were reviewed, as well as treatment strategy. Fractures were classified by AO/OTA classification. Outcome and follow-up data were gathered at outpatient appointments and telephone calls. Results: Of the 18 patients, 78% were treated operatively (61% with open reduction and internal fixation, 17% with removal of foreign body alone). There were two instances of traumatic vascular injury and no neurologic injuries. Furthermore, there were no identified infections. Only 58% of the patients had follow-up for more than 6 weeks with average KOOS Jr. Score of 50, and average VAS pain score of 5.2. Conclusions: Ballistic femoral condyle fractures are rare Orthopaedic injuries seen in relatively high frequency at our institution. Most (78%) were treated operatively and with few complications. These fractures are not easily classified according to common classification schemes and may benefit from more rigorous study to guide treatment and anticipate outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteochondral autologous transplantation (OAT) is one of the most common surgical options for osteochondral disorders of the knee. In cases where OAT is performed for steroid-induced osteonecrosis, there are several problems potentially affecting the surgical outcomes such as large chondral damage area and compromised host bone. In addition, steroid administration for a long period of time may lead to extensive lesion, which poses difficulty in obtaining sufficient donor tissue. Those factors affect the prognosis of steroid-induced osteonecrosis resulting in inferior treatment outcomes. We present a young female with a large steroid-induced osteonecrosis lesion repaired only with two osteochondral plugs harvested from the healthy area. The reported case indicates that only partial osteochondral grafting limiting to the weight-bearing area may yield satisfactory outcome when OAT is performed for large steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the knee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although morphological abnormalities of the femur are known predisposing factors for numerous musculoskeletal disorders, the etiology of these abnormalities is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate whether femoral morphogenesis is affected by hindlimb suspension (HS) in growing rats. We used 41 four‐week‐old female rats in this study. In the HS groups, rats were suspended from their tails for 2, 4, and 8 weeks. Age‐matched animals were used as controls. We examined morphological indices of the femur using three‐dimensional reconstructed images from X‐ray computed tomography. The femoral neck anteversion angle (AVA) was higher with growth in the experimental groups and did not differ in control groups. The AVAs in the HS groups were larger than controls at any time point. In the control groups, the trochlear angle (TA) was higher, rotating inward with growth, but did not differ in the HS groups. The TAs in the HS groups were smaller and rotated more outward compared with the control groups at any time point. The height ratios of the medial and lateral condyles (MC/LC), an asymmetry index, were larger in the HS groups compared to controls at any time point. There were strong relationships between proximal (AVA) and distal morphologies, such as the TA (Spearman's coefficient [rs] = −0.80, p < 0.001) and MC/LC (rs = 0.79, p < 0.001). Our data suggest that sufficient physical activity in early life may protect against morphological femur abnormalities associated with hip and knee joint diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparison of bone ingrowth between two types of porous titanium alloy rods with different micro-architectures including diamond crystal lattice (Re-rod) and biogenic lamellar configurations (Bi-rod) on femoral condyles was investigated in this study. Twelve rabbits were used. Re-rod (Re-rod group) and Bi-rod (Bi-rod group) were implanted randomly in femoral condyles of each rabbits respectively. Bone ingrowth of these two rods were investigated and compared. 4 and 12 weeks after the operation, X-ray, micro-CT and histological examinations were performed. No femoral condyle fracture and rod defluxion in the two groups was noted in the X-ray images during the observation period. Micro-CT images showed that all metal trabeculae in the Bi-rod group were covered by new bone at 4 and 12 weeks, whereas partial metal trabeculae in the Re-rod group were still uncovered at 12 weeks. Histological images showed that there was new bone growth in the centre and periphery of Bi-rods at 4 and 12 weeks, and there were several areas without new bone ingrowth at 4 and 12 weeks in the centre of Re-rods. In micro-CT analysis, the bone volume to total volume (BV/TV) of the volume of interest (VOI) of the Bi-rod group was higher than in the Re-rod group [(0.0794 ± 0.0021) % Vs (0.0521 ± 0.0032) % and (0.0875 ± 0.0039) % Vs (0.0702 ± 0.0028) % respectively, P < 0.05] at 4 weeks and 12 weeks. Whereas, the mean trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) values of VOI between the two groups were not significantly statistically different at 4 and 12 weeks. In histological analysis, the BV/TV of the VOI of the Bi-rod group was higher than in the Re-rod group [(0.0624 ± 0.0021) % Vs (0.0435 ± 0.0028) % and (0.0675 ± 0.0024) % Vs (0.0476 ± 0.0031) % respectively, P < 0.05] at 4 weeks and 12 weeks. These results showed that Bi-rods got better bone ingrowth in femoral condyles of rabbits compared with Re-rods. • Porous Titanium Alloy Rods with Biogenic Lamellar or Diamond Crystal Lattice Micro-architecture. • Get Better Bone Ingrowth or Osteointegration. • Femoral Condyle of the Rabbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an established surgical treatment for advanced knee osteoarthritis by which patients can expect improvement of knee pain and function. Although many surgeons have investigated limb alignment after TKA, changes in coronal positional relation between the femur and tibia are not known well. Methods: Radiographs of 105 knees of young Japanese patients between 20 and 49 years-old (60 men and 45 women) without osteoarthritic changes who received arthroscopic surgeries at our hospital were used in this study. Using 2D-templates of the medial pivot design (the FINE total knee), we simulated TKA on a SYNAPSE-PACS software. First, the femoral component was placed in normal knee alignment and then was merged to the medial concave of the insert where the tibial component was placed in neutral alignment. The length of the mediolateral shift of the femoral component was measured as an estimate of lateral shift of the femoral condyle, of which association with radiographic parameters including the femorotibial angle (FTA), lateral distal femoral angle (LDFA), and medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) was analyzed. Subjects were classified into three groups according to the femoral component size that was chosen in simulation of TKA, and the lateral shift of the femoral condyle was compared between groups. Results: The estimated mean lateral shift of the femoral condyle was 5.99 ± 1.98 mm and was greater in males than females (p < 0.05). Also, it was most highly correlated with the medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) (r = − 0.553, p < 0.01). A group receiving larger component sizes significantly shifted more laterally compared with a group receiving smaller component sizes (p < 0.01). Conclusions: These results suggest that the coronal positional relation between the femur and tibia is altered and subsequent ligament imbalance may occur after mechanically aligned TKA using the medial pivot design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tibial plateau fracture patterns are influenced by the direction and energy of the impact, and the bone quality. Associated articular femoral injuries can result from the same impact but are insufficiently studied. This study quantifies the prevalence of three distinct articular femoral condyle injuries: (1) impaction fractures, (2) contusions, and (3) condyle fractures. For impaction fractures we assessed the depth, width, length, and surface area., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who had undergone surgery for a tibial plateau fracture in a tertiary trauma center. Two fellowship-trained radiologists analyzed preoperative CT scans for associated femoral condyle injuries. We defined (1) impaction fractures (depressions ≥ 1.5 mm) with a sclerotic band, a fracture line, or both; (2) contusions (depressions < 1.5 mm) with a sclerotic band; and (3) condyle fractures as sub- or osteochondral fractures., Results: We identified 149 patients (62 male) with a tibial plateau fracture with a CT scan available. The overall prevalence of articular femoral condyle injuries was 26% (n = 39). The prevalence of impaction fractures was 9.4% (n = 14), of contusions 14% (n = 21), and of condylar fractures 3.0% (n = 4). Factors associated with a higher prevalence of femoral condyle injury were younger age (p = 0.029), male sex (p = 0.014), and absence of comorbidity (p = 0.005). The mean depth of impaction fractures was 2.3 mm (SD: 0.78; range 1.6 to 4)., Conclusion: Concomitant articular femoral condyle injuries occur in one out of four patients with a tibial plateau fracture. Although most femoral injuries were subtle, and none underwent surgical treatment, they might harbor information regarding the likelihood of future joint degeneration and knee instability., Level of Evidence: IV., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Focal chondral defects of the knee occur commonly in the young, active population due to trauma. Damage can insidiously spread and lead to osteoarthritis with significant functional and socioeconomic consequences. Implants consisting of autologous chondrocytes or mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) seeded onto scaffolds have been suggested as promising therapies to restore these defects. However, the degree of integration between the implant and native cartilage still requires optimization. A PRISMA systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using five databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL) to identify studies that used autologous chondrocyte implants (ACI) or MSC implant therapies to repair chondral defects of the tibiofemoral joint. Data on the integration of the implant-cartilage interface, as well as outcomes of clinical scoring systems, were extracted. Most eligible studies investigated the use of ACI only. Our meta-analysis showed that, across a total of 200 patients, 64% (95% CI (51%, 75%)) achieved complete integration with native cartilage. In addition, a pooled improvement in the mean MOCART integration score was observed during post-operative follow-up (standardized mean difference: 1.16; 95% CI (0.07, 2.24), p = 0.04). All studies showed an improvement in the clinical scores. The use of a collagen-based scaffold was associated with better integration and clinical outcomes. This review demonstrated that cell-seeded scaffolds can achieve good quality integration in most patients, which improves over time and is associated with clinical improvements. A greater number of studies comparing these techniques to traditional cartilage repair methods, with more inclusion of MSC-seeded scaffolds, should allow for a standardized approach to cartilage regeneration to develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the quantitative measurement method of articular cartilage thickness change based on MR image, 140 patients with no knee joint symptoms and 17 patients with knee joint damage were studied. FLASH, SE and FISP 3 sequences were scanned for all normal knee joints to determine the articular cartilage thickness. 17 patients with knee joint damage were followed up for six months. The thickness of their femoral condyle and femoral trochlea cartilage was measured by FLASH sequence and thickness changes are recorded. The results show that the thickness distribution of normal knee articular cartilage in different parts is not equal, and the thickness of articular cartilage will be gradually thinner in different ages; MR image technique can observe the change of articular cartilage thickness in patients with knee joint damage, reflecting the recovery status of the patient’s condition. The results of quantitative measurement of changes in articular cartilage thickness based on MR images are presented herein, and the results are as expected. Experimental data were provided for the clinical treatment of acute knee injury and osteoarthritis. Although there are still some shortcomings in the research process, the research results still provide some reference and guidance for the future exploration of the use of MR images to monitor the condition of arthritis, so this study is a significant research topic.

ObjectiveTo determine the characteristics of femoral condyle insufficiency fracture (FCIF) lesions and their relative associations with the risk of clinical progression.Materials and methodsThis HIPAA-compliant retrospective study was approved by our Institutional Review Board. Seventy-three patients (age range, 19-95) were included after excluding patients with post-traumatic fractures, bone marrow infarct, osteochondritis dissecans, or underlying tumor. Two board-certified musculoskeletal radiologists classified morphologic findings including lesion diameter, associated bone marrow edema pattern, and associated cartilage/meniscus damage. Electronic medical charts were evaluated for symptoms, risk factors, and longitudinal outcomes, including total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Imaging characteristics were correlated with clinical findings, and comparison of outcome groups was performed using a regression model adjusted for age.ResultsThe majority of patients with FCIF were women (64.4%, 47/73), on average 10 years older than men (66.28 ± 15.86 years vs. 56.54 ± 10.39 years, p = 0.005). The most common location for FCIF was the central weight-bearing surface of the medial femoral condyle; overlying full thickness cartilage loss (75.7%, 53/70) and ipsilateral meniscal injury (94.1%, 64/68) were frequently associated. Clinical outcomes were variable, with 23.9% (11/46) requiring TKA. Cartilage WORMS score, adjacent cartilage loss, and contralateral meniscal injury, in addition to decreased knee range of motion at presentation, were significantly associated with progression to TKA (p

The two most critical factors in promoting the clinical translation of magnesium (Mg) are reducing its degradation rate and improving its osteogenesis. In this study, a Ca-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA)/MgF2 bilayer coating was prepared on high-purity magnesium (HP Mg) rods by fluorination and hydrothermal treatment. Scanning electron microscope showed that the thickness of the bilayer coating was 3.78 μm and that the surface morphology was nanoscale. In an in vivo experiment on femoral condyle defects in rabbits, the serum magnesium ion levels of rabbits were always in the normal range after surgery, and the liver and kidney functions were not abnormal, which indicated that the CDHA/MgF2 bilayer coating has good biosafety. Micro-CT showed that the CDHA/MgF2 bilayer coating significantly reduced the degradation rate of the HP Mg rods and enhanced the promotion of bone formation. Hard tissue sections showed that the CDHA/MgF2 bilayer coating gave the bone tissue a tight contact interface with the HP Mg rod and improved the bone mass. Immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and BMP-2 was more obvious. These results confirm that the CDHA/MgF2 bilayer coating can improve the properties of HP Mg and provide a basis for the further transformation of HP Mg in the future. It also provides a new reference for the surface modification of magnesium metal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Articular cartilage defects are common injuries of the knee. The defects often progress in size and produce significant clinical symptoms due to the lack of intrinsic repair or regenerative capacity of articular cartilage. With the failure of nonoperative treatment options, surgical treatment is indicated and includes palliative, reparative, and regenerative options. For large defects of the femoral condyles, trochlea, or patella, autologous chondrocyte implantation can provide successful and long-lasting results. Presented is the case of a 37-year-old male with an 18-year follow-up to autologous chondrocyte implantation for extensive left knee articular cartilage defects of the medial and lateral femoral condyles. Recovery from articular cartilage defects is shown through both clinical improvement of the patient and arthroscopic photographs of robust autologous articular cartilage on the medial femoral condyle. This case supports the long-term benefits of autologous chondrocyte implantation as a surgical intervention for large, full-thickness articular cartilage defects of the knee., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Paradis et al.)

Biomaterials play a major role in enhancing the quality, performance and longevity of human life. With the technological advancements in biomedical and material processing, quite a number of biomaterials are being synthesized with properties desirable for various biomedical applications. Among these, bioresorbable materials are the new class of Biomaterials. Bioresorbable materials can be used mainly in orthopaedic, cardiovascular, dental and tissue engineering applications. The potential bioresorbable materials identified were Magnesium alloys, Iron and Zinc alloys. However, there are certain issues with these bioresorbable materials for their application as implants. The current review presents the potential, physiological behavior and problems of Magnesium alloy. The biological performance of Magnesium alloys under different processing methods such as alloying, surface modification and bulk processing was discussed. This review may be a guide for new researchers to identify suitable processing method for Magnesium alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Differences in tibiofemoral articular morphology are associated with risks of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Purpose: To determine whether bony and cartilaginous morphological characteristics are related to ACL injury in pediatric patients and to investigate any differences according to sex. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 200 skeletally immature Korean patients from a single institution were included in this study; 100 patients had an ACL injury, and 100 had an intact ACL. Condylar morphology and tibial slopes were evaluated and compared between the groups, and differences between sexes were evaluated in the ACL-injured group. Results: The lateral femoral curvature was significantly greater and the lateral and medial tibial curvatures were significantly smaller in the ACL-injured group than in the intact group (P < .01 for all). In addition, the lateral and medial femoral curvatures as well as the lateral tibial curvature were significantly smaller in female than in male patients (P < .01 for all). Both the medial and lateral tibial slopes were greater in the ACL-injured versus intact group (medial slope, 5.5 vs 5.0; lateral slope, 3.0 vs 1.3, respectively); this difference was statistically significant for lateral tibial slope (P ¼ .026). No sex-based differences were found for medial or lateral tibial slope. Conclusion: Femoral and tibial curvatures as well as lateral tibial slope were significantly different between the ACL-injured and ACL-intact patients, and the lateral tibial curvature was significantly smaller in female than in male patients. Medial and lateral tibial slopes were not associated with a significant difference in ACL injury between male and female patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focal chondral defects of the knee occur commonly in the young, active population due to trauma. Damage can insidiously spread and lead to osteoarthritis with significant functional and socioeconomic consequences. Implants consisting of autologous chondrocytes or mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) seeded onto scaffolds have been suggested as promising therapies to restore these defects. However, the degree of integration between the implant and native cartilage still requires optimization. A PRISMA systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using five databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL) to identify studies that used autologous chondrocyte implants (ACI) or MSC implant therapies to repair chondral defects of the tibiofemoral joint. Data on the integration of the implant-cartilage interface, as well as outcomes of clinical scoring systems, were extracted. Most eligible studies investigated the use of ACI only. Our meta-analysis showed that, across a total of 200 patients, 64% (95% CI (51%, 75%)) achieved complete integration with native cartilage. In addition, a pooled improvement in the mean MOCART integration score was observed during post-operative follow-up (standardized mean difference: 1.16; 95% CI (0.07, 2.24), p = 0.04). All studies showed an improvement in the clinical scores. The use of a collagen-based scaffold was associated with better integration and clinical outcomes. This review demonstrated that cell-seeded scaffolds can achieve good quality integration in most patients, which improves over time and is associated with clinical improvements. A greater number of studies comparing these techniques to traditional cartilage repair methods, with more inclusion of MSC-seeded scaffolds, should allow for a standardized approach to cartilage regeneration to develop.

In order to study the quantitative measurement method of articular cartilage thickness change based on MR image, 140 patients with no knee joint symptoms and 17 patients with knee joint damage were studied. FLASH, SE and FISP 3 sequences were scanned for all normal knee joints to determine the articular cartilage thickness. 17 patients with knee joint damage were followed up for six months. The thickness of their femoral condyle and femoral trochlea cartilage was measured by FLASH sequence and thickness changes are recorded. The results show that the thickness distribution of normal knee articular cartilage in different parts is not equal, and the thickness of articular cartilage will be gradually thinner in different ages; MR image technique can observe the change of articular cartilage thickness in patients with knee joint damage, reflecting the recovery status of the patient's condition. The results of quantitative measurement of changes in articular cartilage thickness based on MR images are presented herein, and the results are as expected. Experimental data were provided for the clinical treatment of acute knee injury and osteoarthritis. Although there are still some shortcomings in the research process, the research results still provide some reference and guidance for the future exploration of the use of MR images to monitor the condition of arthritis, so this study is a significant research topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Femoral condyle fracture in coronal plane, also known as Hoffa fracture, is a rare fracture. Non-union of Hoffa fracture is even rarer. We present a case of fibrous nonunion of a Hoffa fracture in which the fractured fragment, though not freely movable, led to painful walking. Since the fragment was un-displaced and non-movable we fixed the fractured fragment in situ. Patient regained full range of motion of the knee and was asymptomatic on follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Rabbit model of distal femoral bone defect has been widely used to test bone tissue engineering materials for bone defects However, there is no uniform standard for the size of the cylindrical bone defect model of the rabbit femoral condyle, which ranges 5-9 mm in diameter and 8-12 mm in depth. OBJECTIVE: To establish the bone defect model of adult rabbit femoral condyle with different sizes and to determine the critical bone defect size of the femoral condyle METHODS: Eighteen male New Zealand White rabbits aged 6 months were randomly divided into three groups according to the diameter of bone defect: 5 mm diameter group, 6 mm diameter group, and 7 mm diameter group. The defect depth was 10 mm. These rabbits underwent bilateral radial surgery, a total of 12 sides. Computed Tomography (CT ) scan and three-dimensional reconstruction were performed at 1 day, 4, 8, 12 weeks after surgery. The CT-Hedberg score was used to evaluate the heeling of bone defects． The rabbits were sacrificed at 12 weeks after surgery, and the femoral condyle specimens were taken out. Healing of the defect was analyzed by gross observation and hematoxylin-eosin staining. The study protocol was approved by the formal Ethics Committee of Xuzhou Medical University. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: All rabbits survived after surgery. The gross observation showed that the defect of 5 mm diameter group was filled with new bone tissue, the femoral condyle was well shaped, and the bone defect was completely repaired. In 6 mm and 7 mm diameter groups, depressed deformation was obviously observed in the defect area, with less new bone tissue, and the defect was was not repaired. The CT images showed that the defect area of 5 mm diameter group gradually decreased, and the broken ends of the defect were bridged. In the defect area of 6 mm and 7 mm diameter groups, only a small amount of new bone tissue was implanted, and the defect area was slightly reduced. At the 12th week after surgery, the cortical bone structure of 5 mm diameter group was intact and continuous, the femoral condyle was well shaped, and the bone defect was completely repaired. The defects of 6 mm and 7 mm diameter groups were partially or not repaired, and the defect cavity was still visible in the 7 mm diameter group. The CT-Hedberg scores of 6 mm diameter group were significantly lower than those of 5 mm diameter group at different time points (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in the CT-Hedberg scores between 6 mm and 7 mm diameter groups (P > 0.05). Histological results showed that there were irregular trabecular structures in the defect area of 5 mm diameter group, with a large amount of new bone tissue. In the other two groups, there were some new bone trabeculae around the bone defect, but the defect area was less filled with new bone tissue. During the 12-week observation period, the femoral condyle defect with a diameter of > 6 mm and a depth of 10 mm could not heal spontaneously, while the defect with a diameter of < 6 mm could be completely repaired, which met the criteria of critical bone defect. Therefore, the diameter of < 6 mm could be used as the critical bone defect size of rabbit femoral condyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purpose of the study: Aim of the study was to investigate whether ellipsoid sign (ES) in the region corresponding to the cartilaginous facet of the medial femoral condyle (MFC) indicates early cartilage lesion. The finding has not been defined in the literature yet. Methods: The study was performed retrospectively with 50 patients who underwent articular cartilage examination and arthroscopy between 2015 and 2018. Patients were divided into two according to the presence or absence of ES. There were 24 patients in case group (Group A) and 26 patients in controls (Group B). Weight-bearing cartilage areas of MFC in the region where ES was found in both groups were classified according to arthroscopic Outerbridge classification (OC) and compared statistically with each other. Results: There was no significant difference in terms of age, gender and alignment between Group A and Group B (p > 0.05). All OC grades were higher in Group A (p < 0.001). Positive correlation between ES and MFC chondromalacia grade was detected (r: 0.671, t: 6.266, p < 0.05). Conclusion: ES, which refers to the difference in bone density in MFC seen in antero-posterior (AP) X-Ray, is a result of changes in subchondral bone due to chronic cartilage loss. ES detected on AP X-Ray may help in early diagnosis of medial femoral articular cartilage chondromalacia, even at grade 0 or 1. We recommend searching for ES, as the earliest symptom of chondromalacia, which occurs even before MRI lesions. Future studies may reveal additional information about ES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study evaluated the use of a free vascularized bone graft with and without cartilage from the medial femoral condyle (MFC) in patients with recalcitrant scaphoid non-union, with a special focus on union rates and the osteochondral graft for proximal pole destruction.Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight avascular scaphoid non-unions in 37 patients who were treated with a free osteoperiosteal or osteochondral MFC graft were retrospectively evaluated (mean follow-up 16 months). Bone union, the scapholunate and the radiolunate angles were evaluated on X-ray images. The range of motion, grip strength, VAS, DASH and PRWE scores were evaluated clinically.Results: The overall union rate was 95%. Bone union was achieved in 27 out of 29 (93%) scaphoids treated with a free osteoperiosteal MFC grafts and in 9 out of 9 (100%) scaphoids treated with a free osteochondral MFC graft. The range of motion remained almost unchanged, while grip strength increased significantly (34 kg vs. 44 kg) and the VAS (22-5), DASH (59-19) and PRWE (62-30) score decreased significantly. The scapholunate (71°-65°) and radiolunate (28°-18°) angle decreased. No major donor site morbidity was observed. Postoperative complications were observed in eight cases (21%).Conclusions: The vascularized medial femoral bone graft leads to a good functional outcome in the treatment of scaphoid non-unions. The graft provides adequate blood supply and structural stability to the scaphoid. A proximal pole destruction can be replaced using an osteochondral graft with promising short-term results preventing carpal osteoarthritis and collapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]