Fibular fractures that begin proximal to the tibial plafond are assumed to include an injury of the syndesmosis. Many surgeons have treated this injuries by rigidly repairing the medial and lateral malleoli with trans-syndesmotic fixation. However, recently, some demonstrated that a trans-syndesmotic screw places biomechanical restrictions on the tibiotalar joint and is not required to maintain the integrity of the distal tibiofibular joint in cadava models. Thirty eight patients of ankle fracture with syndesmotic injury treated at Sun General Hospital from January 1989 to June 1994 week analyzed in clinical and radiologic aspect. The results obtained from this study were as followings. 1. If rigid anatomic medial and lateral joint fixation was obtained, syndesmotic screw fixation was not required to maintain the integrity of the syndesmotic. 2. Repairting the deltoid ligament did not enhance treatment results when fibular fracture and syndesmotic had been fixed anatomically. Therefore, we believe that syndesmotic screw fixation was indicated only when medial and lateral stabilization could not be achieved adequately.
Ankle Fractures ; Ankle Injuries ; Ankle ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Joints ; Ligaments ; Solar System ; Surgeons

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate causes of unstable total knee arthroplasty and results of revision surgery. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 24 knees that underwent a revision arthroplasty for unstable total knee arthroplasty. The average follow-up period was 33.8 months. We classified the instability and analyzed the treatment results according to its cause. Stress radiographs, postoperative component position, and joint level were measured. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score and range of motion. RESULTS: Causes of instability included coronal instability with posteromedial polyethylene wear and lateral laxity in 13 knees, coronal instability with posteromedial polyethylene wear in 6 knees and coronal and sagittal instability in 3 knees including post breakage in 1 knee, global instability in 1 knee and flexion instability in 1 knee. Mean preoperative/postoperative varus and valgus angles were 5.8degrees/3.2degrees (p = 0.713) and 22.5degrees/5.6degrees (p = 0.032). Mean postoperative alpha, beta, gamma, delta angle were 5.34degrees, 89.65degrees, 2.74degrees, 6.77degrees. Mean changes of joint levels were from 14.1 mm to 13.6 mm from fibular head (p = 0.82). The mean HSS score improved from 53.4 to 89.2 (p = 0.04). The average range of motion was changed from 123degrees to 122degrees (p = 0.82). CONCLUSIONS: Revision total knee arthroplasty with or without a more constrained prosthesis will be a definite solution for an unstable total knee arthroplasty. The solution according to cause is very important and seems to be helpful to avoid unnecessary over-constrained implant selection in revision surgery for total knee instability.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/*adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Instability/*etiology ; Knee Joint/*surgery ; Knee Prosthesis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Prosthesis Failure ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical and radiologic results after high flexion Lospa (Corentec Inc.) and Scorpio NRG (Stryker Inc.) total knee arthroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively compared 205 knees in 128 patients who underwent arthroplasty using Lospa (group A) and 164 knees in 102 patients who underwent arthroplasty using Scorpio NRG (group B) from September 2010 to March 2012 at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sun General Hospital (Daejeon, Korea). Mean follow-up period was 23 months in group A and 24 months in group B. The radiologic analysis included the change of mechanical axis deviation and femoro-tibial angle, implant position (alpha, beta, gamma, delta), and patellar tilt. The clinical results were evaluated according to hospital for special surgery (HSS), knee society score (KSS), and range of motion. RESULTS: Mechanical axis deviations were change in varus from 34.8 mm to 2.6 mm (p=0.02) in group A, and change in varus from 34.3 mm to 3.1 mm (p=0.04) in group B; no statistically significant difference was observed between them (p=0.13). Femoro-tibial angles were varus 4.3degrees to valgus 6.6degrees (p=0.02) in group A, and varus 4.4degrees to valgus 6.5degrees (p=0.03) in group B; no significant difference was observed between them (p=0.25). No significant difference in implant position was observed between the two groups (p=0.25 in alpha, p=0.17 in beta, p=0.12 in gamma, p=0.17 in delta). Mean HSS improved from 48.5 to 93.6 (p=0.02) in group A, and from 41.4 to 94.4 (p=0.01) in group B. CONCLUSION: Lospa total knee arthroplasty showed excellent early radiologic, clinical results and no statistically significant difference in the results was observed between Lospa and Scorpio NRG.
Arthroplasty* ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Knee* ; Prospective Studies ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Solar System

This was a clinical trial study to aid the recovery of elderly female alcoholic liver disease patients by providing a balanced nutritional supplement comprising soymilk. All patients gave their consent before enrolling. The average demographics of the subjects were age 81.57 years, height 150.43 cm, weight 52.67 kg, and body mass index 24.15 kg/m2 . An increase in the daily consumption of fruits and fruit juice was observed after the patients had started taking the balanced meal as compared to before. Intakes of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and cholesterol decreased after consuming soymilk, whereas vitamin B 12, niacin, folic acid, and dietary fiber significantly increased (P<0.05). Blood cholesterol and BUN levels showed a decreasing tendency.Our results indicate that consuming soymilk in a balanced diet for female patients afflicted with alcoholic liver disease helps improve their nutritional status by increasing the nutrients lacking in the body.

PURPOSE: We attempted to determine the degree of rotation of the femoral component to achieve an ideal rectangular flexion gap with minimal medial collateral ligament (MCL) release using a modified measured technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Group I consisted of 60 osteoarthritis patients (72 cases) who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with minimal MCL release and Group II consisted of 48 patients without osteoarthritis (61 cases). We performed computed tomography (CT) scanning of the knee with 90 degree flexion in all of the patients and analyzed the angles between the distal femur landmarks and the tibial mechanical axis using a Picture Archiving Communication system. External rotation of the femoral component from the Whiteside line and posterior condylar line was measured in group I who underwent TKA with minimum MCL release. The variance in the mediolateral flexion gap according to the degree of rotation was also measured using an Auto-Computer Aided Design program. RESULTS: The CT scans showed that the Whiteside line, posterior condylar line, and transepicondylar line was more internally rotated on average from the longitudinal axis of tibia by 4.12degrees, 5.54degrees, and 4.64degrees, respectively, in group I compared to group II. In group I, the femoral component was inserted with an average external rotation of 5.6degrees from the posterior condylar line and with an average external rotation of 2.0degrees from the Whiteside line with minimal MCL release. From the measurements of the femoral component size and the variance in the degree of rotation using an Auto-CAD program, it was found that the change in the mediolateral flexion gap was greater when the rotation angle was greater and it was greater when the size of femoral component was larger at the same rotation angle. CONCLUSIONS: The average rotation angle of the femoral component to achieve an ideal rectangular flexion gap with minimal MCL release in TKA was an external rotation of 5.6degrees from the posterior condylar line and an external rotation of 2.0degrees from the Whiteside line. We concluded that when a femoral component is small in size, greater than average external rotation needs to be applied and when a femoral component is large in size, less than average external rotation needs to be applied.
Arthroplasty ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Collateral Ligaments ; Femur ; Humans ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Tibia

PURPOSE: To evaluate effect of modified arthroscopic pull-out suture technique which used number 5-nonabsorbable suture material for tibia intercondylar eminence comminuted fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: There were 21 cases of tibia intercondylar emimence fracture which arthroscopic treated at our hospital between 1999 and 2004. However the study population only included 12 cases in which a number 5-nonabsorbable suture material (Ethibond No. 5) was used for tibia intercondylar eminence comminuted fractures and minimum 1-year follow-up has gone. The average follow-up period was 18.5 months (range, 12 to 42 months). Lachman test and KT-2000 athrometer test were evaluated at the pre-and post-operation. Clinical results of all patients were evaluated with the Meyers and Mckeever 's criteria. RESULTS: In all 12 cases, the normal range of motion and sports activities were recovered at the final follow-up. When tested for anterior instability with KT-2000 arthrometer, there were no different between normal knee and operated knee. Clinical results by Meyers and Mckeever's criteria were excellent in 10 patients and good in 2 patients. CONCLUSION: We obtained early mobilization and stable fixation in modified arthroscopic pullout suture technique for tibia intercondylar eminence comminuted fractures. Patients can early return to his job. This technique seems to be one of the effective operative techniques for treatment of tibia intercondylar eminence comminuted fractures.
Arthroscopy ; Early Ambulation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Comminuted* ; Humans ; Knee ; Reference Values ; Sports ; Suture Techniques ; Sutures* ; Tibia*