A New Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Fixation Technique (Quadrupled Semitendinosus Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Polyetheretherketone Cage Fixation).

A new anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction fixation technique (quadrupled semitendinosus anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with polyetheretherketone cage fixation).

Arthrosc Tech. 2012 Sep; 1(1): e47-52
Calas P, Dorval N, Bloch A, Argenson JN, Parratte S

Fixation of the graft during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery has been the subject of numerous technical innovations but still remains a challenge. This article describes a novel technique of graft fixation for hamstring tendon reconstruction: the Cage For One system (Sacimex, Aix-en-Provence, France). The technique uses only the semitendinosus tendon, which is looped to create a 4-strand graft. Leaving the gracilis tendon intact probably reduces the loss of knee flexion strength. The graft is indirectly anchored into both tunnels with polyetheretherketone cages by use of polyethylene terephthalate tape strips. Both cages and strips are magnetic resonance imaging compatible and do not create artifacts. The tunnels are drilled by an outside-in method with minimal incisions. This type of fixation creates a 360° bone contact at 1.5 cm in each tunnel and is compatible with double-bundle reconstruction. This easy-to-use novel technique of fixation for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction produces a strong 4-strand graft while harvesting only the semitendinosus tendon and leaving the gracilis tendon intact to reduce flexion strength loss and preserve rotatory stability of the knee. It creates an immediate solid fixation that is independent of graft integration in the early postoperative period, allowing the patient to start immediate rehabilitation without the use of a brace. HubMed – rehab

 

A load-sharing rip-stop fixation construct for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Arthrosc Tech. 2012 Sep; 1(1): e37-42
Denard PJ, Burkhart SS

Despite advancements in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair techniques, achieving tendon-to-bone healing can be difficult in the setting of poor-quality tendon. Moreover, medial tendon tears or tears with lateral tendon loss may preclude standard techniques. Rip-stop suture configurations have been shown to improve load to failure compared with simple or mattress stitch patterns and may be particularly valuable in these settings. The purpose of this report is to describe a technical modification of a rip-stop rotator cuff repair that combines the advantages of a rip-stop suture (by providing resistance to tissue cutout) and a double row of load-sharing suture anchors (minimizing the load per anchor and therefore the load per suture within each anchor). HubMed – rehab

 

Short- and long-term efficacy of intensive rehabilitation treatment on balance and gait in parkinsonian patients: a preliminary study with a 1-year followup.

Parkinsons Dis. 2013; 2013: 583278
Frazzitta G, Bertotti G, Uccellini D, Boveri N, Rovescala R, Pezzoli G, Maestri R

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease in which gait and balance disturbances are relevant symptoms that respond poorly to pharmacological treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a 4-week inpatient multidisciplinary intensive rehabilitation treatment (MIRT) is effective in improving balance and gait and whether improvements persist at a one-year followup. We studied 20 PD inpatients (stage 3 Hoehn-Yahr) who underwent a MIRT. Outcome measures were UPDRS items for balance (30), falls (13), and walk (29), Berg Balance Scale, six-minute walking test, Timed Up and Go Test, and Comfortable-Fast gait speeds. Patients were evaluated at admission, at the end of the 4-week treatment, and at a 1-year followup. Pharmacological therapy was unchanged during MIRT and follow-up. All outcome measures improved significantly at the end of treatment. At 1-year follow-up control, UPDRS walk and Comfortable-Fast gait speeds still maintained better values with respect to admission (P = 0.009, P = 0.03, and P = 0.02, resp.), while the remaining scales did not differ significantly. Our results demonstrate that the MIRT was effective in improving balance and gait and that the improvement in gait performances was partially maintained also after 1 year. HubMed – rehab

 

The clinical relevance of force platform measures in multiple sclerosis: a review.

Mult Scler Int. 2013; 2013: 756564
Prosperini L, Pozzilli C

Balance impairment and falls are frequent in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), and they may occur even at the earliest stage of the disease and in minimally impaired patients. The introduction of computer-based force platform measures (i.e., static and dynamic posturography) has provided an objective and sensitive tool to document both deficits and improvements in balance. By using more challenging test conditions, force platform measures can also reveal subtle balance disorders undetectable by common clinical scales. Furthermore, posturographic techniques may also allow to reliably identify PwMS who are at risk of accidental falls. Although force platform measures offer several theoretical advantages, only few studies extensively investigated their role in better managing PwMS. Standardised procedures, as well as clinical relevance of changes detected by static or dynamic posturography, are still lacking. In this review, we summarized studies which investigated balance deficit by means of force platform measures, focusing on their ability in detecting patients at high risk of falls and in estimating rehabilitation-induced changes, highlighting the pros and the cons with respect to clinical scales. HubMed – rehab