Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Posterolateral rotatory instability is one of the most complex problems in ligamentous injuries of the knee. It represents a challenging diagnostic and therapeutic problem for the orthopaedic surgeon. We present the results of biceps tenodesis in chronic posterolateral rotatory instabilily of the knee.

Methods: In this case series we included all of the patients with positive reverse pivot shift test and prone external rotation test at least 3 weeks after their trauma. We excluded the patients with varus malalignment of the knee and concomitant anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. Biceps tenodesis (Clancy method) was performed. We did not reconstruct posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) if its insufficiency was diagnosed in addition to posterolateral rotatory instability. Knee scoring scale of Lysholm was used during and after follow ups. The results were statistically compared using Wilcoxon signed rank test (WSRT), paired samples t-test and friedman test. Data analysis was done using SPSS (version 11.5) and Stata (version 8) computer softwares.

Results: Our series consists of 13 patients (12 male and one female). 31% of the patients had isolated posterolateral injury and 69% of the patients had combined posterolateral and PCL injuries. The patients were between 17 to 45 years old (mean 30.25 years). Follow up was between 4 to 44 months (mean: 31 months). At the end of follow up 85% of patients had negative reverse pivot shift test. Prone external rotation test at 30° of knee flexion was negative in 92% of patients. In 92% of patients giving way was negative and in 77% of patients pain was decreased. Before operation the average Knee scoring scale of Lysholm was 73 and at the end of the follow up it increased to 85 (p value<0.001).

Conclusions: Biceps tenodesis using Clancy method is a safe, effective and reliable method in management of chronic posterolateral rotatory instability of the knee. During surgery careful exploration of the common peroneal nerve is recommended. Although we found this method effective in combined posterolateral and PCL injuries the results are much better in the cases with isolated posterolateral injuries.

Background: Degenerative spondylolisthesis is a common disease of the lumbar spine especially in older ones. The disease represents a challenge to the treating physician. At present, for those patients that deteriorate clinically, there are many proposed algorithms for the surgical treatment. This before and after study was undertaken to assess the surgical results of decompression and instrumented posterolateral fusion in these patients.

Methods: The study population consisted of 23 patients who had undergone no prior surgery for degenerative spondylolisthesis on the lumbar spine. These patients were treated by decompression, bilateral posterolateral fusion, and segmental (pedicle screw) instrumentation with mean follow-up of 29 months (range, 13-73 months). Finally, The clinical results were evaluated for all patients by means of an Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) version 2.1, the Henderson's functional capacity, and persistence of leg symptoms, low back pain or claudication. Mann-Whitney and Chi-Square tests were used to assess the average values and comparison, respectively.

Results: Henderson's functional capacity at the last visit session was excellent in 14 (60.9%), good in 7 (30.4%), fair in 2 (8.7%) cases. ODI decreased from 72.2% (50-88%) preoperatively to 14.4% (0-54%) at the latest follow-up visit. A history of leg pain or claudication was correlated significantly with the amount of decline in ODI score and Henderson's functional capacity (p<0.05).

Conclusion: In spite of limited number of our patients, decompressive surgery plus instrumented posterolateral fusion is a safe, reliable, and satisfactory procedure for treating degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. This procedure may be done when conservative treatment was failed and psychological problems can be ruled out.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a first choice treatment for ACL-deficient knees, and arthroscopic single-bundle reconstruction has been widely accepted around the world in this regard. Although, such single-bundle reconstructions result in sufficient knee stability in most cases, but some patients have not been satisfied with postsurgical results in both short-term and long term clinical studies. One of the reasons for these unsatisfactory results could be related to the fact that normal function of the native ACL has not been restored by the traditional ACL reconstruction which uses only a single-bundle graft. The natural ACL consists of a 3-dimensional structure with multibundle fascicles, which can be anatomically divided into 2 main bundles, the anteromedial (AM) and the posterolateral (PL) bundles named for the orientation of their tibial insertions. The purpose of the present study was to compare double-bundle and single-bundle ACL reconstruction.
Methods: Twenty-two patients with anterior cruciate ligament tear who were candidates for ACL reconstruction were enrolled in the study undertaken in Shariati Hospital from 2009 to 2010. Fourteen patients underwent single-bundle and 8 patients double-bundle ACL reconstruction. The patients were evaluated by arthrometer and physical examination in postoperation follow up visit at least 9 months after the operations.
Results: Four out of 14 patients with single-bundle reconstruction had knee joint translation greater than 5 mm but nobody had knee translation more than 5 mm in the double-bundle reconstruction group.
Conclusion: Double-bundle ACL reconstruction seems to be more stable than single-bundle ACL reconstruction.