Faculty Bibliography

High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is commonly used to correct excessive varus knee malalignment. Varus alignment places increased loads on the medial tibiofemoral joint, accelerating medical compartment degeneration. This article explores the benefits of HTO in correcting varus deformities and addresses concomitant procedures for managing medial compartment pathology, offering practical guidance for surgeons to optimize outcomes and restore knee function.

BACKGROUND:To compare clinical outcomes, return to activities, and rates of revision surgery following arthroscopic glenoid labral repair in patients who were prescribed NSAIDs as part of their postoperative pain management regimen versus those who were not. METHODS:Patients aged 18-55 who underwent primary arthroscopic labral repair at a single academic institution from the years 2016-2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who underwent concomitant rotator cuff repair, remplissage, or did not have minimum 2-year postoperative follow-up were excluded. Patients who were prescribed postoperative NSAIDs were matched 1:1 to those who were not based on age, sex, BMI, and number of suture anchors. Outcomes were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Shoulder Score (ASES), Simple Shoulder Test (SST), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation rating (SANE), and satisfaction. Pre-injury sport and work activity information were recorded. RESULTS:Of 269 eligible patients, 224 patients were included. Patients prescribed NSAIDs postoperatively had similar levels of pain (1.2 vs 1.0, p=0.527) and function (ASES: 90.8 vs 89.9, p=0.824; SST: 91.9 vs 90.6, p=0.646; SANE: 83.8 vs 85.3, p=0.550) compared to those who were not. Rates of revision surgery (2.7% vs 0.9%, p=0.622) and recurrent instability (5.4% vs 8.0%, p=0.594) were similar between NSAID and non-NSAID groups. Rates of return to sport (83.5% vs 77.8%, p=0.318) and return to pre-injury level (59.3% vs 61.6%, p=0.177) were similar between NSAID and non-NSAID groups. Prescription of postoperative NSAIDs was not associated with delayed return to sport (OR:1.47, 95%CI [0.68,3.18], p=0.327) or return to work (OR:0.56, 95%CI [0.14,2.28], p=0.416). CONCLUSIONS:Patients who were prescribed NSAIDs as a part of a postoperative pain management regimen following primary arthroscopic labral repair for glenohumeral instability had similar patient-reported outcomes, revision rates, and rates of return to pre-injury activities compared to those who were not prescribed NSAIDs.

BACKGROUND:Risks associated with graft transplantation due to donor-recipient sex differences have been reported in whole organ transplantation literature but are not well-described in meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT). This study assessed the effect of donor-recipient sex mismatch on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following MAT. METHODS:A retrospective review of patients <50 years of age that underwent unicompartmental MAT from 2010 to 2023 at a single institution with minimum 2-year follow up was conducted. Exclusion criteria were revision procedures or insufficient donor information. PROs collected included: Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis and Outcome Score (KOOS), Visual Analog scale (VAS) for pain and satisfaction, and return to sport (RTS). PROs were compared between donor-recipient graft matching groups (same-sex (SS) or different-sex (DS)) and by donor sex. RESULTS:, and follow up of 73.4 ± 29.2 months. Donors were mostly male (77.2 %). Thirty-six patients (63.3 %) received SS grafts and 21 (36.8 %) received DS grafts. There were no significant differences between groups in KOOS subscores, VAS pain, satisfaction scores, or RTS rates (P > 0.05). Donor sex also showed no association with PROs. Linear and logistic regression models controlling for age, BMI, and average follow up demonstrated that graft mismatch was not associated with KOOS scores, RTS, or graft failure. Decreasing patient age was associated with improved KOOS-pain (β: -0.376; 95 % CI (-1.892, -0.155); P = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS:Patients that undergo MAT with grafts from a different sex had similar outcomes to patients receiving grafts from a donor of the same sex. Sex-mismatch was not associated with functional outcomes or RTS. The results of this paper support the use of geometrically matched donor grafts, independent of donor sex, which should expand available graft options when matching a patient for MAT.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To determine whether chondroplasty for isolated medial patellar facet lesions produces similar clinical outcomes compared to patients without patellofemoral cartilage lesions in the setting of medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction for patellar instability. METHODS:We retrospectively identified patients who underwent MPFL reconstruction with or without tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) from 2015 to 2020 with minimum 2-year follow-up. Operative reports detailed patellofemoral articular surfaces and Outerbridge grade. Exclusion criteria were: prior knee surgery, multiple lesions, concomitant cartilage repair, trochleoplasty, or meniscus repair. Patients with isolated medial facet lesions (case) were propensity matched to patients without patellofemoral cartilage injury (control) by age, sex, BMI, and concomitant TTO. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Kujala score, Tegner activity scale, and the Visual Analog Score (VAS) for pain. RESULTS:Of 79 eligible patients, 59 (74.7%) completed all surveys, and 40 patients (8 M and 32 F) were matched 1:1 with mean 4.1-year (range: 2.1-8.5) follow-up, including 20 patients with medial facet lesions (5 grade II, 6 grade III, and 9 grade IV). There were no significant differences between groups with respect to Kujala score (85.2 vs 84.6, p = 0.906), Tegner (5.7 ± 2.6 vs 4.9 ± 3.0, p = 0.924), or VAS pain score (12.4 ± 20.1 vs 16.5 ± 23.9, p = 0.718). Chondral lesion size at the index procedure was not significantly correlated with pain (R = - 0.06, p = 0.816) or Kujala score (R = - 0.67, p = 0.779). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Chondroplasty for isolated medial patellar facet lesions led to similar clinical outcomes to patients with intact patellofemoral articular cartilage at a minimum of 2 years following MPFL reconstruction. These findings support conservative management of isolated medial facet lesions without need for cartilage restoration procedures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III/METHODS:Retrospective comparative cohort study.

BACKGROUND:The knee's inflammatory response to ligamentous, meniscal, and cartilage injuries is complex and incompletely understood, particularly in the setting of concomitant injuries. Recent research has highlighted the potential utility of synovial fluid biomarker analysis in identifying factors involved in the progression of posttraumatic osteoarthritis. PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To investigate if unique patterns of knee injury are associated with distinct synovial fluid biomarker profiles at the time of surgical intervention. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS:Patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery were prospectively enrolled and asked to complete the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale and visual analog scale for pain preoperatively. Synovial fluid was aspirated from the operative knee before surgical incision, and the concentrations of 10 biomarkers of interest were quantified. Patients with intraoperative evidence of articular cartilage, meniscal, and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury were identified and included for subsequent analysis. Biomarker concentrations were log-normalized and standardized. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed using biomarker variables to reduce dimensionality and extract key patterns. Multivariable linear regression for each retained principal component (PC) was performed with the predictors of age, sex, body mass index, symptom duration, ACL injury, meniscal injury, and Outerbridge grade. A separate regression analysis was performed to assess relationships between PCs and patient-reported outcomes controlling for the same variables. RESULTS:= .001; β = -.199). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Cartilage lesions exhibited a synovial fluid inflammatory profile distinct from ACL and meniscal injury at the time of knee arthroscopy. While ACL and meniscal injuries displayed a pro-inflammatory phenotype, more severe cartilage lesions were associated with a reduced presence of anti-inflammatory markers. The pro-inflammatory phenotype also independently correlated with worse baseline knee function. These findings contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of ligamentous, meniscal, and cartilage injuries and may aid in the identification of pathology-specific treatments to help alter the natural history of disease.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:Meniscus repair is preferred over meniscectomy when possible due to its ability to preserve meniscal tissue and reduce long-term joint degeneration. However, meniscus repair has a risk of failure, resulting in an increasing number of patients presenting with symptoms following a failed repair. Revision meniscus repair remains an option for symptomatic patients, yet guidance on indications, surgical techniques, and expected outcomes is limited. The purpose of this review is to summarize indications, surgical approaches, and outcomes associated with revision meniscus repair. RECENT FINDINGS/RESULTS:Patient-specific factors such as age, activity level, and modifiable risk factors influence revision repair success. Younger, highly active individuals may be at higher risk of retear due to increased mechanical stress. Tissue quality and vascularity are critical, as degenerative changes and poor perfusion increase failure rates. The gold-standard inside-out technique is often favored for revision repairs due to its superior biomechanical stability. However, all-inside and outside-in techniques remain viable options in specific cases. Biological augmentation, including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and marrow venting, may enhance healing potential but requires further investigation. Revision meniscus repair demonstrates comparable failure rates and functional outcomes to primary repair, with reported failure rates ranging from 21-33% at mid-term follow-up. Many patients successfully return to high levels of activity following revision repair. Although younger age and high activity levels may predispose to failure, revision meniscus repair remains a viable option for preserving meniscal integrity and optimizing long-term joint health.

BACKGROUND:This study aims to investigate the effect of donor-recipient sex-mismatch on graft survival, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and return to sport (RTS) following knee osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation. METHODS:Patients who underwent knee OCA transplantation between 2011 and 2022 with minimum 2-year clinical follow-up were divided into two cohorts (same-sex (SS) and different-sex (DS) donor). Cumulative survival was compared via multivariable Cox regression analyses controlling for age, graft size, and body mass index (BMI). A sub-analysis comparing PROs between groups was performed, including the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain and satisfaction, the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and RTS rates. RESULTS:285 patients were included (189 SS, 96 DS) with mean follow-up of 4.8 ± 2.0 years. There was a graft failure rate of 6.0% with no significant difference in graft survival rate between DS and SS groups (p = 0.70). Sub-analyses between the four donor-recipient groups (male-male, female-male, male-female, and female-female) and between female and male donor groups demonstrated no significant differences in graft survival. Among patients who failed the procedure, time to failure was significantly shorter for those with sex-mismatched grafts (353 days vs. 864 days, p = 0.002). Sub-analysis of a 71-patient cohort with two-year PROs demonstrated no differences between SS and DS groups with respect to satisfaction, pain, or KOOS scores after controlling for sex (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Patients undergoing knee OCA transplantation demonstrated no observable differences in graft survivorship based on donor-recipient graft sex-matching, suggesting that surgeons can use sex-mismatched grafts and expect limited effect on graft survivorship. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:IV.

BACKGROUND:Synovial fluid (SF) biomarkers demonstrate time-dependent variation after acute knee injury, and it is postulated that persistently elevated inflammatory markers may mediate worse long-term outcomes. PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:This study investigated the relationship between biomarkers in SF at the time of meniscectomy and long-term patient-reported outcomes in patients with acute versus chronic meniscal injuries. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS:This retrospective analysis included patients who underwent knee SF aspiration on the day of arthroscopic meniscectomy between October 2011 and October 2020 with minimum 4-year follow-up. SF aspirated from the operative knee was analyzed for 10 pro- and anti-inflammatory biomarkers. Patients completed the visual analog scale for pain, Lysholm Knee Questionnaire, Tegner Activity Scale, and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short-form (KOOS-PS) before surgery and at follow-up. Patients were categorized as having acute (<6 weeks) or chronic (>1 year) symptoms. K-means clustering analysis was performed using biomarker levels to group patients into distinct cohorts. RESULTS:= .020) than the low-inflammation cohort. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:In patients with chronic meniscal injury, those with a more proinflammatory SF biomarker profile at the time of meniscectomy had worse outcomes than those who had a low inflammatory profile. In acute meniscal injuries, most patients demonstrate a high inflammatory profile, which was not associated with a difference in long-term outcomes.

BACKGROUND:Meniscal injuries trigger a local inflammatory response mediated by intra-articular mediators. Proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines can lead to cartilage degradation and subchondral bone changes, contributing to posttraumatic osteoarthritis. The role that age plays in this inflammatory response is unclear. PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To investigate age-dependent variation in cytokine types and concentrations in knee synovial fluid after meniscal injury. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS:Patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery for isolated meniscal injury were prospectively enrolled between July 2011 and April 2024. Synovial fluid was aspirated from the operative knee, and concentrations of 10 biomarkers were measured. Patients at least 9 years after surgery were invited to complete patient-reported outcome (PRO) surveys. Multivariable linear regression assessed pairwise relationships between age at surgery, log-normalized biomarker concentrations, and PROs, while adjusting for relevant covariates. Conditional process analysis was used to explore age-biomarker relationships, with symptom duration as a moderator and baseline Outerbridge grade as a mediator. RESULTS:The study included 160 patients for biomarker analysis with a mean ± SD age of 50.2 ± 12.5 years. Forty-seven patients who reached a minimum 9 years of follow-up completed PRO surveys. Mean follow-up was 10.2 ± 1.3 years. Regression analysis revealed positive associations between age and log-normalized concentration of preoperative IL-6. Moderator analysis found age to be positively associated with IL-6, VEG-F, and IL-1Ra in chronic meniscal injuries. Mediator analysis found an indirect positive relationship between age and MIP-B, VEGF, and MMP-3 and an indirect negative relationship between age and TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. Preoperative TIMP-1 was positively associated with 10-year Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short Form score and elevated in treatment responders. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Age at surgery was associated with higher concentrations of proinflammatory biomarkers and lower concentrations of anti-inflammatory biomarkers in the synovial fluid before meniscal surgery. Anti-inflammatory markers were associated with improved long-term PROs. These findings suggest an age-related intensification of the proinflammatory response and inhibition of the anti-inflammatory response that may contribute to long-term functional decline in older patients after meniscal surgery. There is potential for age-specific immunomodulatory therapeutic strategies to manage inflammation and mitigate the progression toward posttraumatic osteoarthritis in older patients.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study is to assess the association between sagittal tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove (sTT-TG) distance and patellofemoral chondral lesion size in patients undergoing cartilage restoration procedures. METHODS:A retrospective cohort analysis of patients who underwent an osteochondral allograft transplantation or matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation in the patellofemoral compartment, from 2010 to 2020, were included if they had patellofemoral high-grade lesions, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and minimum 2-year follow-up. The preoperative sTT-TG distance was measured independently on axial T2-weighted MRI sequences by two authors, each at least two weeks apart. Intraoperative lesion size was reported according to operative report measurements by the attending surgeon. An interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to assess intra- and inter-rater reliability, and categorical data analysis and linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between sTT-TG and lesion size. RESULTS:. Intra- (ICC: 0.99,0.98) and inter-rater reliability (ICC: 0.96) were excellent for both MRI defect size and sTT-TG measurements. The mean sTT-TG was -4.8 ± 4.9 mm and was significantly inversely related to MRI defect size (-0.45, p < 0.01), intraoperative patellar lesion size (-0.32, p = 0.01), total lesion area (-0.22, p = 0.04), but not trochlear lesion size (-0.09, p = 0.56). Multivariable regression demonstrated a more negative sTT-TG remained an independent variable correlated with larger MRI-measured patellofemoral defect sizes and intraoperative patellar lesions. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:A more negative sTT-TG was an independent variable correlated with larger patellofemoral lesions in patients undergoing patellofemoral cartilage restoration. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Level III, Diagnostic.